The ex-wife of genocide suspect Seraphin Twahirwa has provided testimony regarding his involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, primarily in Kigali.
The prosecution presented Twahirwa's ex-wife's testimony in the ongoing trial being held at Belgium's Court of Assizes. The trial began on October 9 and is expected to conclude on December 8.
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According to prosecution, Twahirwa's ex-wife, currently in Kenya, stated that during the 1994 Genocide, she saw her husband on his way home with Interahamwe, drunk from looting.
Turahirwa's wife testified that he had a relationship with former president Juvenal Habyarimana. She also recalled that before the Genocide, her husband used to threaten the Tutsi.
Prosecution, further said that according to the ex-wife, during the genocide, whenever he left for what he claimed was work, she recalled that he carried guns, including a pistol. She also remembered him saying he was "off for work,” and she heard him confessing to raping women.
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She emphasized that during the genocide, he was not among the people who assisted her in escaping so that she could return to her birthplace.
The prosecution also emphasized that Turahirwa served as the head of Interahamwe in the former Kigali prefecture, where he played a role in the killings of the Tutsi in areas of Gikondo, Gatenga, and Kicukiro.
It has been pointed out that there are additional testimonies from people alleging that he was involved in the murder of his brother-in-law's family, the rape of Tutsi women, and other charges.
Meanwhile, prosecution also noted that during an interview, Twahirwa stated that he did not know Interahamwe, did not know how to use a weapon and had never possessed one. He claimed that during the Genocide, his primary focus was escaping from his wife, a Tutsi, and maintained that he was not involved in any other activities.
Additionally, he asserted that he had a prosthesis, implying that as a person with a disability, he was physically incapable of moving about during the Genocide. He also denied any involvement in the crime of raping women.
In the ongoing trial of two Genocide suspects, Pierre Basabose and Twahirwa, the former was not in court due to health reasons. The court requested an additional report on Basabose's health condition to decide if he can stand trial.
During the hearing on October 11, the presiding judge said that she had not yet received the medical report.
The doctor treating Basabose indicated that he must stand trial for 15 days. Therefore, lawyer Jean Flamme agreed to proceed with the trial pending the receipt of the report.
The trial is the sixth of its kind in the country. It involves Basabose and Twahirwa, both facing charges related to genocide and war crimes. Twahirwa is also accused of rape.