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Former Rwandan camp commander charged by UN pleads not guilty to genocide

Former Rwandan camp commander charged by UN pleads not guilty to genocide

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A former high-ranking Rwandan camp commander charged with five counts of genocide and other war crimes today pleaded not guilty during his initial appearance before the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

According to the Tribunal, Lt. Ildephonse Hategekimana, former commander of the Ngoma Camp, allegedly ordered, transported and led soldiers and militiamen to carry out attacks against Tutsi civilians. He is also said to have deployed soldiers to stop escaping Tutsi civilians and bring them to the camp for slaughter.

In addition, Lieutenant Hategekimana is accused of watching an attack while preventing his soldiers from intervening. He allegedly also failed to take measures to prevent, or put an end to widespread rape of girls and women in Butare prefecture.

Lieutenant Hategekimana was arrested on 16 February in the Republic of the Congo before being transferred to the UN Detention Facility in Arusha, Tanzania. Duty counsel appointed by the Tribunal's Registrar is representing him until he appoints his own counsel or is assigned counsel in accordance with the UN court's rules.