National

EMMANUEL Ntirenganya, a resident of Rusororo Sector in Gasabo District, yesterday, pleaded guilty to genocide ideology related charges before the Intermediate Court of Gasabo.

Ntirenganya, 34, in April during the 18th commemoration of the1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, is said to have used abusive words against one Niyibizi, a genocide survivor, which the prosecution said were aimed at genocide denial.

Prosecution told court that Ntirenganya intentionally told Niyibizi that “igihe cyanyu c’ukwezi kwakane cyageze cyokwiriza; uramenye ntuzanyirizeho,” literally meaning ‘Your month of April when you pretend to be moaning has come; you better not bring your pretencous weeping before me.’

Niyibizi, it is said, had spent the day with others exhuming bodies of victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi for decent burial when the defendant used the abusive words against him later in the evening.

Ntirenganya had previously denied the charges but during yesterday’s hearing, he entered a guilty plea when the presiding magistrate, Dativa Yankurije, read the charges against him.

“I accept the charges but I request court to pardon me. I even requested him (victim) to forgive me,” Ntirenganya told court.

He could, however, not repeat the words he used against Niyibizi when the presiding magistrate, Yankurije, requested him to do so.

Prosecution argued that Ntirenganya’s words were outrageous, genocide denial and crimes against humanity, punishable under the 2003 law against Genocide.The 2003 law against Genocide in its article 4 condemns and punishes the genocide ideology.

Prosecution requested a 15-year jail term for the accused. The case was adjourned to June 28, when the ruling will be read.

Contact email: bosco.asiimwe[at]newtimes.co.rw