The former Hutu militant leader was arrested
Bernard Munyagishari, the former leader of the Hutu militants, was arrested in Congo Republic, said on Thursday in an official statement an instance of the Organization of the United Nations. Bernard is accused of genocide, crimes against the humanity, rape and he was found in Kachanga town from the Kivu North region. He was a teacher and football referee. 52 years old now, Bernard, had a reward on his head of five million dollars. The State Department of the United States offered that reward for his capture. The militia hutu members killed over 800.000 members of the tusi minority in the 100 civil war days from April until July 1994. The victims were often described as “bugs” for them. The instance of the Organization of the United Nations said that Munyagishari was the one who contributed on planning this genocide.
Between 1992 and 1994, he was the General State Secretary of the National Republican Group for Democracy and Development from Gisenyi city and the Chief of the Interahamwe Militia from Gisenyi. He is accused for providing weapons for the militia members and for being an active part at the killing of the tusi minority members. More, he is accused of founding a battle group that had the mission of killing and raping women. The instance declared that the defendant is under the suspicions of recruiting, forming and leading the Interahamwe militia in the mass killing operations and raping the women from the tutsi minority in April-July 1994. Munyagishari is one of the most searched nine persons responsible for the killing of the 800.000 people.
After the 1994 crimes, the International Court judged and the process is still in course for 46 cases of this kind. Just eight of those ones had reached to the final act of acquittal and nine of them are in progress. The rest of those cases ended with convictions. At the beginning of this month, the General Augustin Bizimungu was convicted for 30 years of prison. He was found guilty for making the lists with the tutsi people that were exterminated. This is not the first leader that is facing these accusations. Another one, Augustin Ndindiliyimana was found guilty too for genocide and crimes against the humanity. This announcement comes right after the arresting of General Ratko Mladici, the leader for the Bosnian Serb, after 15 years of searching. Mladici is accused too of genocide and he will be facing the International Crimes Court for Yugoslavia. The genocide accusation is the worst crime punished by the International Law.
