Rwandan bishop charged with war crimes dies of illness while in detention – UN tribunal

A former Rwandan bishop charged with genocide died today after a long illness, the first suspect to pass away while in the custody of the United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda.

Samuel Musabyimana, former Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Shyogwe, died at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi, Tanzania, according to the Registrar of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

Bishop Musabyimana, 46, was arrested in Nairobi on 26 April 2001 and eventually pleaded not guilty to four counts of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity.