1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Rwanda

Prosecution calls for life sentence for genocide suspect

Prosecutors at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, on Thursday called for life imprisonment for Alfred Musema, a former tea factory director. Musema, 50, is charged with nine counts of genocide and crimes against humanity for allegedly playing a leading role in massacres and rape of ethnic Tutsis in the Bisesero region of western Rwanda between April and July 1994. The prosecution called for the maximum sentence, saying Musema’s crimes were of the most serious order, the independent Hirondelle news agency reported. The defence is due to begin its closing arguments on Monday.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join