More than 28 years after the extermination of Tutsis in Rwanda, the former Rwandan prefect was sentenced on Tuesday, July 12 by the Paris Assize Court to twenty years in prison for complicity in genocide.
Laurent Bucyibaruta, 78, who appeared free, left the courtroom escorted by the gendarmes, leaning on his cane. He had time, before that, to discuss with his lawyers and a relative, on a bench: behind him, we heard the sobs of his supporters, reports special correspondent at the Paris Courthouse, Amelie Tulet.
On the detail, Laurent Bucyibaruta is declared guilty as ” accomplice in genocide ” and ” accomplice in crimes against humanity “. That is to say accusations which relate to the killings committed at the Murambi Technical School, at the parish of Cyanika, at that of Kaduha, at the Marie-Merci school, in particular, as well as at the roadblocks of this province of Gikongoro, of which he was prefect. The prosecution had requested life imprisonment on Friday.
However, he was acquitted of charges of genocide and crimes against humanity as a perpetrator, in particular for the acts committed at Gikongoro prison and Kibeho parish. For this last massacre, which happened at the beginning of the genocide, the court felt that it lacked information on its level of knowledge on the extent of the genocidal project at that time.
A huge disappointment for the civil parties, because 40,000 people died on this site, but ” tonight Laurent Bucyibaruta is in prison, where he should have been for 20 year », Believes one of them.
His defense had pleaded Monday, July 11 the acquittal, calling the Assize Court of Paris to ” brave choice “. In his last words to magistrates and jurors before they retired to deliberate, the former senior official had made a point of addressing ” genocide survivors “. ” I would like to tell them that it never occurred to me to abandon them to the killers “, had declared Laurent Bucyibaruta, beige jacket on sky blue shirt, surgical mask under the chin.
” Is it for lack of courage? Could I save them? These are questions, even remorse that have haunted me for over 28 years “, Continued the accused, who has lived in France since 1997. Judged since May 9, he has always contested the charges.