APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague, Netherlands has ruled ruled that Felicien Kabuga, one of the alleged architects and financiers of the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda, is unfit to participate meaningfully in his trial and is very unlikely to “regain” fitness in the future.
During the hearing late on Tuesday, judges said they wanted to “adopt an alternative finding procedure that resembles a trial as closely as possible, but without the possibility of a conviction.”
This would “ensure respect for his rights” at the same time as achieving the goals of the court, they added in a ruling resolution obtained Wednesday
The ruling comes nearly a year after the 90 year old suspected mastermind of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, began trial on seven counts of genocide, including, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, persecution and extermination, all in relation to crimes committed during the genocide.
The businessman, commonly known as the genocide financier, refused to appear in court or appear remotely at the start of his trial and has subsequently followed proceedings via video-link from a wheelchair at the court’s detention center.
The court put the trial on hold in March over health concerns, when Gillian Mezey, one of the medics that were tasked with examining Kabuga’s health said he was not fit to plead, understand evidence and meaningfully participate in a court hearing.
Kabuga was arrested in Paris in 2020 after decades on the run and sent for trial in the Hague.
He is one of the last genocide suspects to face justice, with 62 convicted by the tribunal so far.
CU/as/APA