The Helsinki Court of Appeal is to travel to Rwanda and Zambia
to hear witnesses in the appeal of a man convicted of involvement in the Rwanda
genocide. Francois Bazaramba, a Rwandan-born Finnish citizen, was sentenced last
summer to life in prison for mass murder.
The court plans to be in session in Rwanda for 18 days in September and October
to hear testimony from 39 prosecution witnesses. The court also hopes to visit
places where killings took place.
The court will also go to Zambia in October to hear testimony from 15 defence
witnesses. Most of the witnesses live in Zambia and other countries in the
region.
The arrangement still requires the approval of the Rwandan and Zambian
governments.
The defendant will follow the events via video link from Finland, as was done
in the first trial.
The case is being handled in Finland because the Ministry of Justice refused to
extradite Bazaramba to Rwanda for fear that he might not get a fair trial
there.
The
lower court found that Bazaramba, a resident of Porvoo, had led attacks against
Tutsis in the south of Rwanda in 1994 and gave orders that led to their deaths.
Bazaramba
sought asylum in Finland, in 2003.
He was
convicted on two charges ; intent to destroy the Tutsi population in Maraba, and
spreading malicious propaganda calling for their extermination, crimes for
which he was handed a life sentence.
He is
said to have masterminded the killing of over 5,000 people in Nyakizu, Southern
Province.
Bazaramba
allegedly organised and maintained night patrols and road blocks, forcing the
Tutsi to leave their homes. He organised the setting on fire and destruction of
their homes and property.
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