Rwanda : Norway to try first Rwandan genocide suspect
A Norwegian court in Oslo has said that the case of Rwandan genocide suspect, Sadi Bugingo, 47, will try the first genocide case for the crimes who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi.
Some of the genocide fugitives Norway has to try include Bugingo. Court had previously scheduled Bugingo’s trial date for September 25, 2012 and stated that the case is expected to last about three months and closed by December 21.
Bugingo is a Rwandan national, who has been living in Norway since in 2002. He was arrested in the western city of Bergen in May, 2011, at the request of Rwanda and has been in detention since. He denies the accusations against him.
Bugingo allegedly killed people at the Economat Général of Kibungo Diocese and at Kibungo Baptist Church, and alleged to have supervised killings and coordinated attacks and distributed food rations to Interahamwe militia, during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
This is the first case genocide case that Norway courts of justice and it is believed that it will be a challenge and a learning experience for the future international hunt on genocide fugitives believed to be living in Europe.
The case prosecutor Petter Mandt said that the trial will be a very unusual affair for the justice system in Norway since it’s the first of its kind.
Mandt confirmed the trial date which is due to open on September 25 and hearings expected to last three months. The verdict is expected in February or March next year.
If convicted, Bugingo faces up to 21 years in jail, the maximum term possible at the time of the alleged crime. But it can be prolonged indefinitely if the person convicted is considered to be still dangerous.
A 30-year prison sentence for genocide was introduced into the criminal code in 2005, but cannot be applied retroactively.
