A former Rwandan police officer has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in France for his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Philippe Hategekimana was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity, related to the killings of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
Described as a central figure in carrying out the atrocities, Hategekimana not only committed murders but also incited others to join in the violence. After the genocide, he fled to France where he sought refugee status and later obtained French nationality using the name Philippe Manier.
While in France, Hategekimana worked as a university security guard until 2017 when he learned that a complaint had been filed against him. Fearing arrest, he escaped to Cameroon but was eventually apprehended in Yaoundé and extradited back to France in the following year to stand trial.
This trial marks the fifth time that France has prosecuted an alleged participant in the Rwandan genocide. The genocide, which claimed the lives of around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, occurred over a span of 100 days.
The sentencing of Hategekimana serves as a significant step towards justice for the victims and their families. It underscores the international community’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for their roles in the genocide and sends a clear message that such crimes will not go unpunished.
BBC/Jide Johnson.
