Genocide suspect to be charged at the ICC-based court
By Christopher Owuor, May 18, 2020
Felicien Kabuga is expected to be tried either at The Hague or Arusha by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) with seven counts including genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, persecution and extermination.
The IRMCT, which took over from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) which closed its doors in December 2015, was established by the UN Security Council in 2010.
Eight at large
The Tribunal continues to operate offices in Arusha, Tanzania and The Hague, Netherlands and is responsible for locating and arresting indicted individuals who are still at large, hearing appeals and reviewing judgments based on new facts.
Kabuga was one of the eight indicted individuals who remain at large. After the closure, the ICTR relinquished jurisdiction over Kabuga, Protais Mpiranya and Augustin Bizimana to the IRMCT.
The five other fugitives — Fulgence Kayishema, Charles Sikubwabo, Aloys Ndimbati, Pheneas Munyarugarama, and Charles Ryandikayo — were handed over to Rwanda.
The ICTR was established by the UN Security Council and was responsible for prosecuting individuals believed to be most responsible for the genocide.