A former Rwandan police officer, Hategekimana Phlippe, alias Biguma, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Paris Court of Assises after he was found guilty of genocide offences committed during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
Hategekimana was arrested in 2018 in Cameroun and deported to France where he had earlier got nationality under the name, Philippe Manier, which he obtained under false pretenses.
He was sentenced at the end of a two-month trial for genocide crimes against the Tutsi minority tribe in several areas of Nyanza district—southern Province where he was Adjutant Gendarmes in the government which planned and executed the genocide.
A court document reads that Hategekimana was found guilty of crimes including massacres in Nyanza, Nyabubare, Nyamure, Ntyazo and Isar Songa where in most cases, he reportedly “led the gendarmes who were firing on the desparate Tutsi or was coordinating both the gendarmes and Interahamwe on roadblocks.”
“He was also heard and seen himself firing on the Tutsi or pledging to kill them in several areas according to dozens of witnesses who include eyewitnesses, or Genocide survivors who narrowly survived the tragedy after several torture,” the document said.
“On this list is even included fellow gendarmes at the time who reported threats from Hategekimana who was working in close collaboration with his superior Captain Birikunzira.”
The court document also noted that Hategekimana was found guilty of killing Bourgmester Nyagasaza Narcisse of the then Ntyazo commune, then Pierre Nyakarashi, who was a police officer and Musonera, alias Sana Sana.
“He was also found responsible of the killings at Rwesero, Mushirarungu and Nyanza roadblocks.”
“Some of the reasons that reinforced the decision to hand him this sentence could be, but are not limited to his attitude in court. He was not showing remorse at all, he was trying to deny everything whatsoever and to pretend that he didn’t know anyone among the witnesses.”