Former Akazu Member Transferred To Arusha

Protais Zigiranyirazo, former member of the Akazu, the inner circle of the late President of Rwanda Juvénal Habyarimana, was transferred from Belgium to the United Nations Detention Facility in Arusha, Tanzania yesterday, 3 October 2001. Zigiranyirazo, 63, was arrested in Belgium on 26 July 2001 at the request of the Tribunal.

Zigiranyirazo, known as “Mr Z”, was born in Giciye commune, Gisenyi prefecture and is a brother of President Habyarimana’s wife, Agathe Kanziga. It is alleged that, during the events of 1994, Zigiranyirazo joined others including Hassan Ngeze, Joseph Nzirorera and Jean Bosco Barayagwiza, who are already in the custody of the Tribunal, in the planning and ordering of genocide.

The indictment against Zigiranyirazo contains two counts charging him with extermination or alternatively with murder as crimes against humanity. In particular he is accused of having planned and facilitated the killings between April and July 1994 by collaborating with regional and local officials in the distribution of arms, by the ordering of roadblocks and subsequent killings.

During May 1994 Zigiranyirazo allegedly ordered his son Jean-Marie-Vianney Makiza to kill three gendarmes who had been detained at a roadblock in Giciye, that was located opposite his residence.

The accused will make his initial appearance shortly before a Trial Chamber or a Judge of the Tribunal.

New Deputy Registrar Sworn In

The President of the Tribunal Judge Navanethem Pillay today administered the oath of office to the newly appointed Deputy Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Mr. Lovemore Green Munlo (Malawi).

Mr. Munlo, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Malawi, was appointed to the new post early last month. Prior to his appointment he was Principal Partner in a private law firm in Lilongwe, and is a Senior Counsel (SC) – the equivalent of the honour of Queens Counsel (QC) in the legal profession in England – in the Malawi Bar.