Bourgmestre of Rusumo Commune

Sylvestre Gacumbitsi is accused of genocide (or, alternatively, complicity in genocide) and crimes against humanity (extermination, murder and rape).
© Réseau Intermedia.

Identity

• Born in 1947 in Rusumo commune, Kibungo prefecture.

Charges

• During the 1994 genocide, he allegedly distributed weapons from the Rwandan military to communal officials with instructions that they should order their constituents to kill Tutsis.
• Between April 15 and April 17, 1994, he allegedly led the infamous massacre at Nyarubuye church. He later returned to finish off survivors. On Gacumbitsi's orders, surviving Tutsi children were allegedly lured to a place with offers of food and then, when they had assembled, the exits were blocked and grenades thrown in.
• On April 17, 1994, Gacumbitsi allegedly drove along a road using a megaphone to call on Hutus to kill and rape Tutsi: « Search in the bushes, do not save a single snake.... Tutsi girls that have always refused to sleep with Hutu should be raped ... and sticks placed in their genitals. » Afterwards, several Tutsi women were raped, and one woman had a stick thrust in her genitals.
• Gacumbitsi allegedly killed a Tutsi woman and her three children (including his godchild) in his own home and he allegedly slit open the stomach of a pregnant woman and then repeatedly stabbed her and the twin babies.

Proceedings

• On June 20, 2001, Prosecutor Carla del Ponte signed the indictment.
• On June 20, 2001, Gacumbitsi was arrested in a Tanzanian refugee camp along with Jean Mpambara.
• On June 26, 2001, Gacumbitsi pleaded not guilty to all charges at his initial appearance.