The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Thursday, 7 February 2008 closed his case against Hormisdas Nsengimana, a priest who was formerly Rector of Christ-Roi College in Nyanza, Nyabisindu commune in Butare prefecture. Nsengimana is charged with genocide, murder and extermination as crimes against humanity. Nineteen prosecution witnesses were heard in the course of twenty trial days. The Defence case in the Nsengimana trial will commence on 2 June 2008.

Nsengimana is alleged to have been among the organisers of the killing of Tutsis in Nyanza, Butare in 1994. He is accused of playing a leading role in a group of killers called Les Dragons (The Dragons) or Escadrons de la Mort (Death Squad). He is also alleged to have been instrumental in the killing of Tutsi priests from his college. Nsengimana disputes all allegations made against him.

The Trial Chamber, composed of Judges Erik Møse, presiding, Sergei Alekseevich Egorov and Florence Rita Arrey, heard the Prosecution case between 22 and 29 June 2007 and between 14 January and 7 February 2008.

The Prosecution team includes Mr. Wallace Kapaya, Mr. Sylver Ntukamazina, Mr. Brian Wallace, Mr. Iskandar Ismail and Ms. Jane Mukangira.

Nsengimana is represented by Mr. Emmanuel Altit from France and Mr. David Hooper from England.