Genocide suspect transferred to Arusha

Vincent Rutaganira, former councillor of Mubuga in Kibuye Prefecture, western Rwanda, was on Monday transferred to the United Nations Detention Facility in Arusha, a statement from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) said. Rutaganira, 62, was arrested at Kigoma in western Tanzania by Tanzanian authorities at the request of the Tribunal, the statement said, adding that counsel had already been assigned by the registrar to assist the accused in the preliminary stages of the procedure before the Tribunal. He would shortly appear before a judge of the Tribunal to answer charges of involvement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the statement said. According to the indictment, Rutaganira is charged with seven counts of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, crimes against humanity for murder, extermination and other inhumane acts and violations of the Geneva Conventions, it added. Rutaganira is alleged to have conspired and participated with others, including Ignace Bagilishema, whose case is before the ICTR Appeals Chamber, Clement Kayishema and Obed Ruzindana, who had already been convicted by the Tribunal, to kill Tutsis in Kibuye Prefecture between 9 April and about 30 June 1994, the statement said.