After 20 years on the run, Félicien Kabuga will finally face international justice.
This 87-year-old Rwandan, according to him, accused of having financed the Hutu militias responsible for the 1994 genocide, was transferred, Monday, October 26, to the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague.
"His initial appearance will take place in due course before a judge of the Trial Chamber assigned to his case," the Hague Division of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MTPI) said in a statement.
Félicien Kabuga was arrested last May near Paris.
He was originally due to be handed over to Arusha, Tanzania, to be tried by the MTPI - which has a division in Arusha and one in The Hague, the Netherlands - notably for genocide and crimes against humanity.
Former leader of the Milles Collines genocidal radio
A Mechanism judge, however, ordered the temporary transfer of Mr. Kabuga to The Hague for a medical examination, before his possible final departure for Arusha.
His lawyers had made a request to request that he be permanently transferred to the Netherlands and not to Arusha, "given his age, his fragile health and the presence of the Covid-19 epidemic in Tanzania" .
Former president of the infamous Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), which broadcast calls for the murders of Tutsis, Félicien Kabuga challenges all of the seven charges against him.
He is also suspected of having contributed, in 1993, to the massive purchase of machetes which will be distributed to militiamen in April 1994, an accusation which supports the thesis of a planning of the genocide, never decided by international justice, to the great dam from Kigali.
AFP
The summary of the week
France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 application
google-play-badge_FR