The High Court Specialised Chamber of International and Cross Border Crimes has convicted Jean-Baptiste Mugimba of Genocide crimes and convicted him to imprisonment of 25 years. The sentencing took place on Thursday, March 17 at the court’s seat in Nyanza District. Mugimba was accused of multiple charges for crimes he committed in areas of Nyakabanda and Nyamirambo sectors of Nyarugenge District in Kigali. The 63-years-old was extradited from The Netherlands in 2016, and since then he has been in courts of law, facing charges including genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, murder, and extermination as crimes against humanity, according to prosecution. However, the court convicted him of two crimes which are conspiracy to commit genocide and complicity in Genocide. In November 2012, Rwanda issued an indictment and international arrest warrant for Mugimba who was, during the Genocide, the secretary-general of the Coalition for the Defence of the Republic (CDR), an extremist party whose members masterminded the Genocide. CDR was a club of Hutu extremists that was at the centre of planning and execution of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The Netherlands Immigration Service revoked Mugimba’s residence permit in June 2013 on grounds that there were serious reasons for considering that he was involved in the Genocide. Later on, in 2016 extradited him together with Jean Claude Iyamuremye who was convicted for Genocide and sentenced to 25 years in prison last year. Mugimba immediately told court of his intention to appeal against the ruling and he is expected to submit his plea to the Court of Appeal.
