Hategekimana - JUDGEMENT & SENTENCE - Refworld

The Prosecutor v. Ildephonse Hategekimana, Case No. ICTR-00-55B-T
498. The Ngoma Camp Commander did not explain to Witness Rudahunga why he was looking
for Father Masinzo. However, a few days before the commander’s visit, Father Rudahunga had
heard rumours circulating about a plan to kill Father Masinzo, and he inferred that the commander
wanted to kill the priest. 909 That day, four or five minutes before Hategekimana’s arrival with
Ngoma Camp soldiers, Corporal Mpakaniye had gone ahead of his colleagues to warn Father
Masinzo that an attack was imminent. Mpakaniye then helped Father Masinzo to hide in the false
ceiling above his room. 910 Mpakaniye also warned him that Hategekimana had ordered him to kill
all the refugees, but “to spare” Father Masinzo. 911 The witness acknowledged that he did not see
Mpakaniye, but was told after the massacre by Father Masinzo how he had been saved by him. 912
499. Father Rudahunga testified that, after the commander had left the parish, he realized the fate
that awaited the refugees. He begged the soldiers to give him five minutes to pray with the refugees
in the church and to bestow a “general blessing.” The witness thought that the assailants were then
going to kill the refugees inside the church. 913 However, Mpakaniye led the refugees in groups of
five out of the church, after telling them, “Don’t be afraid, we are not going to kill you.” 914
500. Father Rudahunga did not witness what happened afterwards, but a survivor told him the
circumstances in which the refugees were killed. After having taken them out of the church in
groups of five persons, the soldiers then handed them over to the assailants who were waiting in
front of the gate. Each assailant took a refugee away to kill in the parish neighbourhood, either on
the football field or in a farm located below the road. 915 Through a window, Father Rudahunga saw
bodies below the road and heard the screams of dying victims. Father Rudahunga testified that the
victims were Tutsis because the Tutsis were being “hunted down.” 916 Only five refugees who had
Hutu identity cards were spared. 917
501. Father Rudahunga knew that the soldiers came from Ngoma Camp, located near the Ngoma
Parish. 918 He knew Hategekimana very well by his title of camp “Commander.” After the massacre,
Mpakaniye told the witness that he was called Ildephonse Hategekimana. 919 Father Rudahunga
personally recognized Hategekimana as being the leader, the senior military officer, because of his
military uniform and the insignia on his beret which distinguished him from his subordinates. 920
Later on, Mpakaniye asked for money from Fathers Masinzo and Rudahunga to bribe the soldiers
who had accompanied him not to disclose to the commander that they were still alive. They agreed
on the amount of 500,000 francs. 921
909 T. 21 April 2009 p. 7.
910 T. 21 April 2009 p. 12.
911 T. 21 April 2009 pp. 12, 14.
912 T. 21 April 2009 p. 12.
913 T. 21 April 2009 pp. 7, 8.
914 T. 21 April 2009 p. 8.
915 T. 21 April 2009 pp. 7, 8.
916 T. 21 April 2009 p. 5.
917 T. 21 April 2009 p. 6.
918 T. 21 April 2009 p. 8.
919 T. 21 April 2009 pp. 5, 6.
920 T. 21 April 2009 pp. 13, 15. After the massacre, Mpakaniye told Father Rudahunga that he would come back at 5
p.m. and that Father Masinzo had to leave the false ceiling where he was hiding.
921 T. 21 April 2009 p.13.
Judgement and Sentence 122 of 201 6 December 2010