29.06.11 - RWANDA/GENOCIDE - PROSECUTION CALLS FOR LIFE TERM IN FORMER PRESIDENT'S ADVISER CASE

29 June 2011 By

Kigali, June 29, 2011 (FH) - A lower court in Huye (South of Rwanda) requested on Tuesday a life term sentence against Runyinya Barabwiriza, a former diplomatic adviser of late President Juvénal Habyarimana, for his alleged commitment in planning and preparing the 1994 genocide.

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The accused has already been in jail for 16 years.

Before the genocide, Runyinya Barabwiriza was teaching Botanical at the National University of Butare. He was also, since June 1993, head of the presidential party MRND for Butare prefecture.

According to one of his lawyers Protais Mutembe, "Hearings ended on Wednesday. We have called for an acquittal as there is no evidence of any kind against the accused".

In a recent report, Rwandan National Committee for Human Rights had called for Barabwiriza's immediate release.

As a member of Habyarimana's delegation, Barabwiriza was stuck in Dar es-Salaam from April 6 to July 5 1994. However, the Prosecution claims that he had planned the genocide before April 6 and that the massacres were a consequence of this campaign.

The sentence is expected to be rendered on July 28.

SRE-ER/GF