  | You have information to share ?
Or mistakes to correct ?
click here...
|
|
| |  | | Paul Bisengimana | | | context : | Rwanda  | | judgement place : | ICTR (Rwanda) | | status : | Sentenced | | particulars : | Sentenced to 15 years of prison on April 15, 2006, after having pleaded guilty | | position : | Mayor of Gikoro |
|
| | | | Paul Bisengimana is thought to have been born around 1945 in the commune of Gikoro in Rwanda. He was the mayor of Gikoro commune in the prefecture of Kigali-rural. He held this position up until his departure from Rwanda during the summer of 1994. In such a position, he was the representative of executive power at the communal level. He exercised full authority over his subordinates and was in a position to exercise command over the police force.
From the end of 1990 until July 1994, according to the act of indictment, Bisengimana is said to have adhered to and participated in the development and execution of a plan, aimed at the extermination of the Tutsis in his commune. Amongst other elements, this plan included recourse to violence and ethnic hatred, training and distribution of arms to the militias as well as the establishment of lists of people to be eliminated. In carrying out this plan he reportedly organised, commanded and participated in the massacres.
Between 1st January and 30th April 1994, most notably in January at the Musha crossroad and in February in Rutoma and at the Nyamirambo stadium, Bisengimana and other influential personalities, such as Laurent Semanza and Juvénal Rugambarara (cf related cases) are said to have held meetings during which they proffered threats against the Tutsis and those people who were not members of the National Republican Movement for Development and Democracy (MRND, the presidential party).
In April 1994, Bisengimana is said to have held private meetings at his home, with Rugambarara and Semanza during which he was reportedly informed about plans concerning attacks against the Musha church and the commune of Gikoro, and is said to have approved these plans.
Between 1st January and 31st July 1994, Bisengimana, together with Juvénal Rugambarara and Laurent Semanza reportedly distributed arms to the Interahamwe, took part in their training and incited them to participate in the genocide of the Tutsis.
In April 1994, Bisengimana is said to have distributed rifles and hand grenades to the civilian population of his commune and to have given training in how to handle these arms with the aim being to massacre the Tutsis.
Towards 8 April 1994, Bisengimana is reported to have raped a Tutsi woman employed at the Gikoro commune offices. On the same day, at the same offices, Bisengimana is said to have incited the Interahamwe who were present to kill the Tutsis and to rape the Tutsi women” to see if they tasted differently from the Hutu women” and then to kill them when they had had finished with them.
Around 9 April 1994, at about 10 am, in the Gikoro commune, Bisengimana is reported to have transported arms and to have distributed them to the population after first giving out orders to them to kill the Tutsis, burn down there houses and steal their property.
Around 10 April 1994, Bisengimana is reported to have gone to the Cyimbazi Electrogaz factory accompanied by policemen from the Gikoro commune. About 200 refugees were being held at the factory by six gendarmes. Bisengimana is said to have given the order for them to be redeployed to Rwamagana. As soon as the gendarmes had left, around 300 Interahamwe militiamen surrounded the area. Bisengimana is then reported to have ordered them to kill the Tutsis, to rape the women, burn down their houses and steal their belongings.
In April 1994, Bisengimana reportedly led Tutsi refugees to the Musha church. He is said to have assured them that their security was guaranteed. Between 9 and 13 April 1994, Bisengimana, closely collaborated with others in organising the transportation of military forces, the Interahamwe, arms and fuel in order to carry out massacres in the Musha church. He himself is reported to have transported armed men to the church. On 13 April 1994, Bisengimana, accompanied by Juvénal Rugambarara, Laurent Semanza and armed men, arrived at the Musha church where several thousand people had sought refuge from the killings taking place in their region. Laurent Semanza is said to have launched the attack and Bisengimana, himself, reportedly participated. Almost all of the refugees were killed during the attack. Furthermore, the Interahamwe slaughtered many Tutsi women after first cutting off their breasts or thrusting spears into their vaginas. In addition, during this attack, Bisengimana and Laurent Semanza detained a local teacher, Rusanganwa in order to interrogate him. During the interrogation, Bisengimana and Semanza reportedly each cut of one of his arms. After the attack, Bisengimana is said to have sent trucks to pick up the bodies and to have them transported for burial in mass graves.
Bisengimana, as well as Laurent Semanza and the Interahamwe militia are also accused of pillaging the hamlet of St Kizoto to such an extent that there were no tiles remaining on the rooftops. When requested by the refugees to be transferred to a more secure zone, Bisengimana is reported to have refused.
During the month of April 1994, Bisengimana is said to have himself personally participated in the killings which took place in the Gikoro commune- of which he was the mayor- with he, himself, participating in the shooting of the people who had sought refuge there.
In early summer 1994, confronted with the advance of the troops of the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front, an opposition movement composed essentially of Tutsi refugees and led by Paul Kagame), Bisengimana fled Rwanda. On 4 December 2001, he was arrested in Mali. | |     click for more... | | Trial Watch would like to remind its users that any person charged by national or international authorities is presumed innocent until proven guilty. | |  |  | | last time seen : | | | Arusha (Tanzania) | | | judgement period : | | | 17.11.2005 - 13.04.2006 | | | charges : | | | Crimes against humanity
Genocide
War crimes | | | profile last modified : | | | 01.10.2006 |
| |
| | |
|
|
