International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda ORIGINAL: ENGLISH TRIAL CHAMBER III Before: Judge Dennis C.M. Byron, presiding Judge Gberdao Gustave Kam Judge Vagn Joensen Registrar: Adama Dieng Date: 2 February 2012 THE PROSECUTOR v. Édouard KAREMERA and Matthieu NGIRUMPATSE Case No. ICTR-98-44-T JUDGEMENT AND SENTENCE Office of the Prosecution: Defence Counsel for Édouard Karemera: Don Webster Dior Diagne Mbaye and Félix Sow Maria Wilson Takeh Sendze Defence Counsel for Matthieu Ngirumpatse Sunkarie Ballah-Conteh Chantal Hounkpatin and Frédéric Weyl Jean-Baptiste Nsanzimfura The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-T TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ 1 1. The Accused ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Édouard Karemera ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Matthieu Ngirumpatse ............................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER II: PRELIMINARY ISSUES ............................................................................ 2 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2 1.1 Temporal Jurisdiction ................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Personal Jurisdiction .................................................................................................. 3 2. Notification of Charges ............................................................................................ 3 3. Initial Appearance Without Delay ......................................................................... 5 4. Trial Without Undue Delay .................................................................................... 7 5. Violation of Right to Counsel .................................................................................. 9 6. Notice of Charges ................................................................................................... 11 6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 11 6.2 Law .......................................................................................................................... 11 6.3 General Challenges to the Indictment ...................................................................... 14 6.3.1 Reference to Names of the Accused Throughout Indictment .......................... 14 6.3.2 Pleading of Material Facts and Form of Criminal Responsibility ................... 14 6.3.3 Cumulative Effect of Defects in the Indictment .............................................. 17 7. Unequal Treatment ................................................................................................ 18 7.1 Disproportionate Time and Number of Witnesses Compared to the Prosecution ... 18 7.2 Unfair Limitations and Pressure During Preparation of Witness List ..................... 19 7.3 Primary Working Language of the Judges ............................................................... 20 8. Prosecution Employment of Former Defence Legal Assistant .......................... 20 9. Difficulties with Translations ................................................................................ 20 10. Collection and Presentation of Evidence ............................................................. 21 10.1 Intimidation of Defence Witnesses .......................................................................... 21 10.2 Reversal of Burden of Proof .................................................................................... 21 11. Evidentiary Issues .................................................................................................. 21 11.1 Burden and Standard of Proof.................................................................................. 21 11.2 Viva Voce Evidence ................................................................................................. 22 11.3 Documentary Evidence ............................................................................................ 23 11.4 Accomplice Witnesses ............................................................................................. 23 Judgement and Sentence i 2 February 2012 The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-T 12. Protective Measures ............................................................................................... 24 13. Death of Joseph Nzirorera .................................................................................... 25 14. Credibility of Witness BTH .................................................................................. 25 15. Arusha Accords ...................................................................................................... 26 16. The MRND Party ................................................................................................... 28 16.1.1 MRND Structure – Single-Party System ......................................................... 29 16.1.2 MRND Structure – Multi-Party System ........................................................... 31 CHAPTER III: Actual Control Over the MRND Party .................................................... 33 CHAPTER IV: FACTUAL FINDINGS – Events Prior to 8 April 1994.......................... 35 1. The Interahamwe .................................................................................................... 35 1.1 Clarification of the Allegations ................................................................................ 35 1.2 Formation of the Interahamwe in Kigali-ville Préfecture. ...................................... 36 1.3 Expansion, Structure and Control of the Interahamwe Nationwide ........................ 42 1.4 Military Training of the Interahamwe Prior to April 1994 ...................................... 53 1.5 Ordering, Facilitating, or Assisting the Distribution of Weapons and Concealment of Stockpiled Firearms ....................................................................................................... 69 1.5.1 Importation of Weapons Through Kanombe Airport ....................................... 70 1.5.2 Distribution of Weapons and Concealment of Stockpiled Firearms ................ 74 1.6 Fund-Raising Events Organized by the MRND (1993-1994) ................................. 86 2. Meetings and Public Rallies .................................................................................. 90 2.1 Ngirumpatse’s Presentation and Endorsement of Local Interahamwe Leaders ...... 90 2.2 Lists of Persons to be Killed and Preparation of Killing Campaign against Tutsis and Hutus who Supported the RPF .................................................................................... 91 2.3 Clarification of the Allegations Concerning Rallies ................................................ 94 2.4 23 October 1993 Rally at Nyamirambo Stadium ..................................................... 96 2.5 27 October 1993 Rally at Umuganda Stadium ...................................................... 100 2.6 Rallies and Public Gatherings at Nyamirambo Stadium in Early November 1993, mid-January 1994, mid-February 1994, and March 1994 ................................................ 103 2.6.1 7 November 1993 Rally ................................................................................. 103 2.6.2 16 January 1994 Rally .................................................................................... 105 2.7 Creation and Financing of RTLM .......................................................................... 111 3. Civil Defence ......................................................................................................... 115 3.1 Meeting Called by Nsabimana on or about 29 March 1994 .................................. 115 CHAPTER V: FACTUAL FINDINGS – Events from 8 April to Mid-July 1994 ....... 118 1. Creation of the Interim Government ................................................................. 118 1.1 The Presidency and Army Leadership ................................................................... 118 Judgement and Sentence ii 2 February 2012 The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera et al., Case No. ICTR-98-44-T 1.2 Assassination of Key Opposition Politicians and the President of the Constitutional Court 120 1.3 Formation of the Interim Government ................................................................... 121 1.4 Kigali Roadblocks .................................................................................................. 123 1.4.1 Pacification Tours to Roadblocks .................................................................. 123 1.4.2 Arrangement with Bagosora to Obtain Firearms ........................................... 130 1.5 Meeting at the Hôtel des Diplomates on or about 11 April 1994 .......................... 135 2. Intervention of the Interim Government in the Activities of the Territorial Administration and Military ........................................................................... 137 2.1 Meeting at Murambi Training School on 18 April 1994 ....................................... 137 2.2 Replacement of Préfets of Butare and Kibungo and Killings in Butare ................ 154 2.3 Removal of