Thomas Lubanga found guilty by ICCThe International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday found Thomas Lubanga Dyilo of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) guilty of conscripting and recruiting children into his rebel group.

He was charged of enlisting children under the age of 15 in his Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) militia and using them to participate actively in hostilities from September 1, 2002 to August 13, 2003, in the Ituri region of DRC. The UPC was founded in 2001.

On March 17, 2006, Lubanga became the first person arrested under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. He first appeared in court before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on March 20, 2006. The guilty verdict is the first handed down since the ICC was established in 2002. Presently, 14 cases are before the Court, three of which are at the trial stage. Cattle keepers lose over Rwf167m to diseaseCattle keepers in Kigali have lost stock worth Rwf167 million to Brucellosis, a cattle disease caused by the brucella abortus bacteria which leads to miscarriages in the animals.

This was disclosed by the Director of Veterinary Services at the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), Dr. Otto Muhinda. Brucellosis, also known as Bang’s disease in human beings, is a highly contagious human disease caused by the ingestion of unsterilised milk or meat from an animal affected by the bacteria or close contact with their secretions.

Dr. Muhinda revealed that out of the 1,652 cattle that were tested in Kigali, 167 animals were found with the disease. When asked about the way forward, Dr. Muhinda said that in addition to killing the already infected animals, preventive measures are being carried out. Free surgery for cleft patients About 220 patients, children and adults, with cleft lips and cleft palates will undergo free surgery by a team of medical volunteers from Operation Smile South Africa (OSSA).

Cleft lip and cleft palate, which can also occur together as cleft lip and palate, are variations of a deformity caused by abnormal facial development during gestation of a human being.

Addressing a news conference on Tuesday, Dr. Aime Lokulutu the OSSA Regional Director Central Africa said, anyone with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate should come to Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Kigali for a free examination in order to possibly receive free surgery.

He noted that this will be OSSA’s third medical mission to Rwanda. To date the organisation has provided free surgeries to 541 patients.US firm introduces hi-tech cyber security system Cyberoam, an American internet security company that provides Unified Threat Management (UTM) technology, has begun its operations in Rwanda. The UTM system helps companies control their Internet operations and combat cyber threats such as viruses, Trojans and hacking. The Cyberoam UTM package costs US$600 for a system of 15 to 20 users.

The I.T Manager of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority, John Mupenzi, told journalists that the Cyberoam UTM seems to be the best Internet security system on the market.The Cyberoam products will be supplied by iMUST Africa and according to its Business development Executive, Joab Ngai, the product will help Rwanda reach its goal of being a regional IT hub. ICTR Prosecutor challenges acquittal of MRND The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has challenged the tribunal’s acquittal of Matthieu Ngirumpatse and Edouard Karemera, on the charge of conspiracy.

Hassan Bubacar Jallow, requested the Appeals Chamber to correct the Trial Chamber’s error and rule that the accumulative convictions are permissible for the crimes of conspiracy to commit genocide and genocide, and to add an additional conviction for conspiracy to commit genocide to their final sentence.

Matthieu Ngirumpatse was the president of the former ruling party Mouvement Républicain National Pour La Démocratie et le Développement (MRND) while Edouard Karemera served as his deputy.

In December last year, the Tribunal sentenced both men to life imprisonment after convicting them of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, rape and sexual violence, but dismissed the conspiracy to commit genocide charge saying that it would be duplicative and unfair.The Prosecution argues that the Chamber failed to find that the killings of Tutsis in Bisesero area were based on Karemera’s speech of May 3, 1994 at Kibuye prefectural office. First Innovation Prize for Africa to be awarded in EthiopiaThe United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) has announced the establishment of the African Innovation Prize (IPA) worth US$100,000 for the winner and US$50,000 for the runner-up. The prize would be presented for the first time on March 26, 2012, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the sidelines of the Conference of African Finance Ministers to be held later this month.

The annual award is designed to promote the pursuit of science, technology and engineering careers among young African men and women and especially to develop innovative solutions with a great potential for commercialization. Bishop Augustin Misago laid to restThe late Bishop of Gikongoro Catholic Diocese, Augustin Misago, was on Thursday laid to rest inside the Gikongoro Cathedral Church. Bishop Misago passed away on Monday at around midday in his office. Results of the autopsy are yet to be released but it is suspected that he succumbed to a heart attack.

Hundreds of clergymen and women, religious and national leaders joined the family of the prelate and Catholic followers in Nyamagabe District to pay their last respects in a ceremony held at Gikongoro Cathedral.

A mass was celebrated in honour of the deceased Monsignor, followed by funeral services inside the church. A message sent by the Pope paid tribute to Bishop Misago and described him as someone who dedicated his life to the benefit of the Church.