By Agencies
Denmark has extradited Wenceslas Twagirayezu back to Rwanda to face genocide trial.
Prosecution spokesperson Justin Nkusi confirmed the arrival on Tuesday of 50-year-old Twagirayezu and said he is considered a key perpetrator of the 1994 genocide that left over 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutus dead.
A Danish court in September ruled that the Danish citizen could be extradited on suspicion of taking part in a massacre in a church and at a university where more than 1,000 people were killed.
According to bbc.com, Rwandan prosecutors allege that Twagirayezu led a pro-Hutu militia in the north-west of the country that targeted ethnic Tutsis during the 100-day genocide.
Prosecutors further assert that the former primary teacher was the president of the extremist party, CDR, in the former Gacurabwenge Sector in the current Rubavu District, and was a known militia leader in the area during the Genocide against the Tutsi.
He has lived in Denmark since 2001 and had been fighting against his extradition through the courts.
“Twagirayezu is the second Rwandan to be extradited from Denmark. The first, Emmanuel Mbarushimana, was sentenced to life in prison in 2017, three years after his extradition,” bbc.com wrote.
Rwanda scrapped the death penalty in 2007 in an effort to encourage countries that oppose capital punishment to hand over genocide suspects.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
