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Former Rwandan radio chief pleads not guilty at UN trial on genocide charges

Former Rwandan radio chief pleads not guilty at UN trial on genocide charges

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A member of the steering committee of Rwanda's now defunct, privately-owned Radio Télévision Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM), which incited listeners to ethnic hatred, pleaded not guilty today to five counts in connection with the 1994 genocide.

Joseph Serugendo, 52, the former Technical Chief of Radio Rwanda and RTLM, is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide and persecution as a crime against humanity, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) said.

He was arrested on 16 September in Libreville, Gabon, at the ICTR's request, bringing to 71 the number of accused the Tribunal has arrested. The date for his trial is to be set later.

Mr. Serugendo is alleged to have acted in concert with others, including Ferdinand Nahimana, Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, Phocas Habimana and Félicien Kabuga, to organize and conduct the genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda, his indictment said.

Mr. Nahimana, founder of RTLM, Mr. Barayagwiza, an RTLM board member, and Hassan Ngeze, the chief editor of a newspaper called Kangura, were convicted in December 2003 in connection with the genocide.