Former Rwandan official pleads not guilty before UN genocide tribunal
10 June 2008 - A former Rwandan official who is alleged to have planned the killing of up to 25,000 Tutsis during the country's 1994
genocide today pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him at the United Nations war crimes tribunal set up to
deal with the mass killings.
Dominique Ntawukuriryayo is facing charges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) - which is based in
Arusha, Tanzania - of genocide, complicity in genocide, and direct and public incitement to commit genocide for acts
committed during the period from 6 April to 17 July 1994.
The indictment against the former deputy prefect in Butare prefecture alleges that Mr. Ntawukuriryayo had de facto
control over local and regional leaders, administrative personnel, communal police and Interahamwe and other militias in
Butare during the genocide.
In addition, he allegedly incited the public to participate in genocide by promising money, land and houses to those who
killed the most number of Tutsis.
Mr. Ntawukuriryayo was arrested in France in 2007 and transferred to the ICTR on 5 June of this year.
ENDS