Tharcisse Renzaho

Tharcisse Renzaho was handed over to the ICTR on 29 September 2002 following his arrest in the DRC.

On 11 November 2002, the ICTR Prosecutor filed a preliminary indictment against him which listed three counts of indictment:
1. genocide (Art. 2 § 3 ICTR Statute);
2. alternatively, complicity to commit genocide (Art. 2 § 3 ICTR Statute),
3. murder as a crime against humanity (Art. 3 ICTR Statute).

At his initial court appearance on 21 November 2002, Tharcisse Renzaho pleaded not guilty.

On 18 March 2005, the Second Trial Chamber of the ICTR granted the request of the Prosecutor aimed at modifying the preliminary indictment in view of the developments in case law and the discovery of new elements which were not available at the time the initial indictment was established.

The Prosecutor modified the indictment by adding three new counts:

4. rape as a crime against humanity (Art. 3 ICTR Statute);
5. violence to life, health and physical or mental well-being of persons in particular for murder in addition to cruel treatment such as torture, mutilations or all forms of corporal violence as a violation of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II (Art. 4 ICTR Statute);
6. outrages upon personal dignity in particular humiliating and degrading treatment such as torture, rape, forced prostitution and all forms of indecent assault as a violation of Art. 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II (Art. 4 ICTR Statute).

On 3 June 2005, at his second appearance before the Second Trial Chamber of the ICTR, Tharcisse Renzaho pleaded not guilty with respect to the totality of the above charges.

His trial began on 8 January 2007

The Prosecution closed its case on 6 March 2007, whereas the Defence closed its case on 6 September 2007. In all, the parties had presented 53 witnesses in the course of 49 days of trial.

On 14 and 15 February 2008, the parties presented their closing arguments. The Prosecution asked the Chamber to find Renzaho guilty and requested a life sentence for him. The Defence team argued that Renzaho had neither the power nor the means to control the situation in Kigali-Ville. It submitted that the Prosecution had not proven the allegations and requested that he be acquitted.

Renzaho was found guilty of crimes against humanity and genocide and sentenced to life imprisonment on 14 July 2009.

On 1 April 2011, the Appeals Chamber of the ICTR confirmed the life imprisonment sentence imposed on Col. Tharicisse Renzaho.