Last Tuesday, the two men were both found guilty of the crime of genocide and war crimes for acts committed in Rwanda between April and June 1994. Thus, the Court sentenced Séraphin Twahirwa, 66, to criminal imprisonment at perpetuity. She ordered the internment of Pierre Basabose, 76, suffering from senile dementia, according to several experts.
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With our correspondent in Brussels, Jean-Jacques Héry
The first accused, Séraphin Twahirwa, 66 years old, was found guilty dozens of murders and rapes perpetrated by himself or by militiamen of whom he was the leader. The second, Pierre Basabosé, was also found guilty of “war crimes” and “crime of genocide”, in particular for having financed the first’s militia.
To render its verdict, the court mainly relied on the testimonies of victims who recognized them, as recalled by lawyer Michèle Hirsch, who defended several civil parties: “ Extraordinary testimonies, which include both such modesty and such violence. This is the first time that a popular jury, a court, has truly analyzed the systematic nature of mass rapes in a genocidal context. »
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During the trial, the defendants’ lawyers questioned the reliability of the testimony. “ Testimony is something important in the procedure, but it must also be verified, in particular by Belgian investigating judges. », Estimates Me Vincent Lurquin, lawyer for Séraphin Twahirwa. And to add: “ Here, in reality, you have a file which was made in 2003 by Rwandan courts and then which was transmitted here, in Belgium. The letters rogatory are only to re-examine witnesses who had already been questioned, and therefore there was no real investigative work, and it is a little complicated to only have proof which is necessary, without be able to discuss it. »
Arrested in Belgium in September 2020, in a country where they had lived in exile for many years, Séraphin Twahirwa was immediately placed behind bars. Pierre Basabosé was interned because he suffered from senile dementia according to several experts. Their lawyers have announced their intention to appeal to the Court of Cassation.