International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES OR: ENG TRIAL CHAMBER III Before Judge: Dennis C. M. Byron, Presiding Karin Hökborg Gberdao Gustave Kam Registrar: Adama Dieng Date: 20 September 2006 THE PROSECUTOR v. André RWAMAKUBA Case No. ICTR-98-44C-T JUDGEMENT Office of the Prosecutor: Defence Counsel Dior Fall David Hooper and Andreas O’Shea Iain Morley Adama Niane Tamara Cummings-John Judgement 20 September 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................................................3 CHAPTER I – CHARGES AGAINST THE ACCUSED...................................................................................................6 CHAPTER II - FINDINGS ....................................................................................................................................................13 I. RULES ON EVIDENTIARY MATTERS.................................................................................................................13 I.1. Presumption of Innocence......................................................................................................................................13 I.2. Chamber’s Discretionary power in the Appreciation of the Evidence ...........................................................14 II. FACTUAL FINDINGS .................................................................................................................................................14 II.1. Alleged Criminal Acts Committed by André Rwamakuba in Gikomero Commune ..................................16 II.1.1. Alleged Public Instigation in Gikomero from July 1993 through June 1994 .......................................17 (1) Evidence Adduced.......................................................................................................................................18 (1.1.) MDR Party Meetings at Kayanga Primary School.......................................................................19 (1.2.) Political Rallies in Sha, Nduba, Shango and Kayanga secteurs .................................................20 (1.3.) Calls for the Extermination of the Tutsi.........................................................................................22 (1.4.) Recruitment of Members for the MDR “Hutu Power” ................................................................23 (2) Assessment of the Evidence ......................................................................................................................24 (2.1.) Lack of Consistency between the Indictment and the Prosecution Evidence ..........................24 (2.2.) Reliability Issues .................................................................................................................................24 (2.3.) Alibi......................................................................................................................................................28 II.1.2. Alleged Delivery of Machetes by André Rwamakuba in Gikomero Commune in April 1994.........34 II.1.2.1. Alleged Delivery of Machetes to André Muhire and Subsequent Massacres of Tutsi at Ndatemwa Trading Centre ....................................................................................................................................34 (1) Evidence Adduced.......................................................................................................................................34 (2) Assessment of the Evidence ......................................................................................................................36 (2.1.) Lack of Consistency between the Indictment and the Prosecution Evidence ..........................36 (2.2.) Reliability Issues .................................................................................................................................37 II.1.2.2. Alleged Delivery of Machetes to Etienne Kamanzi Used in Attacks against Tutsi.....................42 (1) Evidence Adduced.......................................................................................................................................43 (2) Assessment of the Evidence ......................................................................................................................44 (2.1.) Credibility Issues ................................................................................................................................45 (2.2.) Road Access to Gikomero .................................................................................................................47 II.1.3. Alleged Murder of Three Tutsi near Gikomero Secteur Office ..............................................................48 (1) Evidence Adduced.......................................................................................................................................48 (2) Assessment of the Evidence ......................................................................................................................50 (2.1.) Lack of Consistency between the Dates in the Indictment and the Evidence.........................50 (2.2.) Credibility Issues ................................................................................................................................51 II.1.4. Alleged Participation of André Rwamakuba to the Massacre at Kayanga Health Centre .................54 (1) Evidence Adduced.......................................................................................................................................54 (2) Assessment of the Evidence ......................................................................................................................57 (2.1.) Lack of Consistency between the Indictment and the Prosecution Evidence .........................57 (2.2.) Credibility Issues ................................................................................................................................57 Conclusion on the Alleged Criminal Acts Committed by André Rwamakuba in Gikomero Commune.....61 II.2. Alleged Participation of André Rwamakuba to killings at Butare University Hospital in April 1994....63 II.2.1. Evidence Adduced..........................................................................................................................................64 II.2.2. Assessment of the Evidence..........................................................................................................................65 (1) Lack of Consistency between the Indictment and the Prosecution Evidence...................................65 (2) Identification of André Rwamakuba........................................................................................................66 (3) Internal Discrepancies ................................................................................................................................70 (4) Alibi ...............................................................................................................................................................79 Conclusion on the Alleged Participation of André Rwamakuba to Crimes at Butare University Hospital81 II.3. Other Allegations in the Indictment ....................................................................................................................82 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................................84 CHAPTER III – RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED ................................................................................................................85 CHAPTER IV – VERDICT ...................................................................................................................................................86 Prosecutor v. André Rwamakuba, Case No. ICTR-98-44C-T 2/87 Judgement 20 September 2006 INTRODUCTION 1. This Tribunal has the authority to prosecute persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law, including genocide and crimes against humanity, committed in the territory of Rwanda and Rwandan citizens responsible for such crimes committed in the territory of neighbouring States, between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1994.1 Under Article 2 of the Statute, genocide is an act committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such. 2 The crime against humanity is defined as a crime committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against any civilian population on national, political, ethnic, racial or religious grounds.3 2. The Appeals Chamber has held that genocide against Tutsi and widespread or systematic attacks against a civilian population based on Tutsi ethnic identification occurred in Rwanda between April and July 1994 are facts of common knowledge not subject to reasonable dispute.4 As the Appeals Chamber recalled, this ruling does not lessen the Prosecution’s burden of proof: it must still demonstrate that the specific events alleged in an Indictment constituted genocide or a crime against humanity and that the conduct and mental state of an Accused establishes his culpability for such crimes. 3. The Accused, André Rwamakuba, was born in 1950 in Nduba, Gikomero commune, Kigali rural préfecture. He is qualified as a doctor having studied at Butare