French court to rule on Felicien Kabuga trial location

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 08:22 am

A top French appeals court is to rule today on whether alleged Rwandan genocide financier Felicien Kabuga will stand trial in France or face a UN tribunal in Tanzania.

Kabuga, who is 84 but claims to be 87, was arrested in May at his home outside Paris after 25 years on the run.

In 1994, the Rwandan genocide of some 800,000 (eight hundred thousand) people by Hutu extremists targeted rival Tutsis as well as moderate Hutus.

Kabuga, who was once one of Rwanda’s richest men, is alleged to have funnelled money to militia groups.

He is also accused of setting up a militia that carried out massacres as well as radio broadcasts inciting people to murder.

A French court ruled in June that he should stand trial in Tanzania but his lawyers appealed, citing fears that an African UN tribunal would be biased.

Kabuga has diabetes, high blood pressure and leukoaraiosis, an incurable illness that erodes physical and cognitive abilities, his lawyer said.

(AFP)