A French court on Friday sentenced a former Rwandan army captain to 25 years in prison for genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity in the first-ever trial in France over the 1994 atrocity.
Pascal Simbikangwa was found guilty of perpetrating genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity in the 1994 Rwanda atrocity, which left nearly a Million dead – mostly Tutsi men, women and children.
The landmark verdict came just weeks ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, the last major crimes against humanity case of the 20th century.
Simbikangwa, a 54-year-old paraplegic who has been wheelchair-bound since a 1986 car accident, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Hutu former army captain was initially charged for complicity in the 1994 genocide.
But earlier this week, the prosecutor asked the jury to declare him guilty of “genocide” – and not only of complicity – citing the testimonies heard from around 50 witnesses during a complex and often harrowing six-week trial.
france24
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