Wenceslas Munyeshyaka

Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka was born on 30 July 1958 to Félicité Mukarukaka a Tutsi and Gabriel Ngiruwonsanga, a Hutu, in Ngoma commune of Butare prefecture in Rwanda

Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, was former head of the Sainte-Famille parish in Kigali. Since 2001, he was a priest for the parishes of Gisors and the Epte Valley in France.

A legal enquiry was opened against Munyeshyaka in 1995 after a complaint was lodged, for “complicity in torture and inhumane or degrading treatment”. Witnesses gave account in precise detail of the massive executions which allegedly took place on the 17th and 22nd April 1994 in the Holy Family parish in Kigali where Munyeshyaka was parish priest at the time.

Between April and May 1994, Father Munyeshyaka was alleged to have contributed to the genocide being carried out against the Tutsi by the Hutu militias and members of the Rwandan armed forces. He was alleged to have repeatedly participated in the selection of Tutsi refugees to be murdered, to have left them to die of thirst, to have reported to the authorities those who tried to help them and to have raped several women.

In July 1995, proceedings were instituted against Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, a Rwandan citizen, by persons entitled to act on behalf of the victims.