Considering the high number of persons arrested following the Rwandan genocide, and following discussions between the Rwandan government and some groups of representatives from the local Rwandan population, the Gacaca law was adopted in March 2001. It established a system of participative justice whose principle is to gather on the place where the acts were committed all the actors involved: survivors, witnesses, presumed perpetrators.
After debating the facts, they will have to designate who is guilty and make a list of the victims, all being supervised by non professional judges who are elected. Those judges will decide on the penalties (the maximum penalty is 30 years of imprisonment).
On 9 November 2006, Theophister Mukakibibi was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for helping Hutu militia kill hundreds of Tutsi who had sought refuge in the hospital at Butare. The court found that she had expelled from the hospital Tutsi individuals who were hiding there and had denied food to those seeking refuge in the hospital.
More than 20 witnesses testified against Mukakibibi during the trial, which lasted over one year.
Theophister Mukakibibi pleaded not guilty. She is the first nun to be convicted by a Gacaca court.
Trial Watch would like to remind its users that any person charged by national or international authorities is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
