Justice & rights

Paris: Investigation targeting a former Rwandan MP for charges of genocide against Tutsi

A judicial investigation was opened in Paris against a former Rwandan member of parliament, who is said to be living in France, in particular for crime of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Opened on October 18, 2021, by the national anti-terrorism prosecution and entrusted to judges from the crimes against humanity pole of the Paris judicial court, the investigation targets Pierre Kayondo for the role he would have had during genocide against Tutsi of 1994.

It’s also open for the offenses of complicity in the crime of genocide, complicity in crimes against humanity and conspiracy to prepare for these crimes, between April and July 1994. It follows the complaint of civil party filed on September 22, 2021 by CPCR (Collectif des parties civiles pour le Rwanda), according to which Kayondo would be living in Le Havre, France.

“This is great news, but it’s only a step, time is playing against us, so testimonies must be collected as quickly as possible.”  Responded to AFP, Me Domitille Philippart, the lawyer for CPCR.

The president of CPCR, Alain Gauthier, affirmed that Pierre Kayondo had been a shareholder of ‘Radio television des milles collines (RTLM)’, and considered as an irreducible of MRND (National republican movement for democracy and development), very linked to the Interahamwe (hutu militia) the main armed wing of genocide and an active role in killings.

In its complaint, the CPCR assures that Pierre Kayondo, former ‘Prefet’ of Kibuye and former ‘depute’ from Gitarama, actively participated in the organization of the exterminations in Ruhango and Tambwe in the ‘prefecture’ of Gitarama, by allowing the formation of a group of interahamwe militia, supplying weapons and participating in meetings.

For Gautier, Kayondo was close to personalities convicted of genocide against Tutsi including colonel Simba and Ephrem Nkezabera nicknamed ‘the banker of genocide’.

CPCR, an association that has been tracking for more than 20 years the alleged ‘genocidaires’ in France on behalf of the victims and survivors, relies on several testimonies which according to Gauthier establish the active role of Pierre Kayondo in the killings which took place from April 20, 19994 in Gitarama region.

The genocide against Tutsi killed over a million and left handicapped people among others widows and orphans. To date, only three have been tried and convicted by courts in France, one is to be tried by the end of 2021 and some others to follow by next year.

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