Dominique Ntawukulilyayo, a former Sub-Prefect of Gisagara in Butare, was on 5 June 2008 transferred from Paris, France to the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Detention Facility in Arusha, Tanzania. Ntawukulilyayo is charged with three counts of Genocide, or in the alternative, Complicity in Genocide and Direct and Public Incitement to Commit Genocide. The accused will be presented before a Judge of the Tribunal for his initial appearance shortly.

Ntawukulilyayo was arrested in France on 17 October 2007 following an indictment issued by the Tribunal on 26 May 2005. On 21 September 2006 a warrant of his arrest was served to the French Government. After his arrest the accused contested his extradition to Arusha in the French courts and in May 2008 France’s Court of Appeal turned down his request. The accused then appealed to the European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg which also refused to block his transfer.

Ntawukulilyayo is alleged to have planned, instigated, ordered, committed or otherwise aided and abetted in the planning, preparation or execution of crimes of genocide against Tutsis in Butare prefecture. Specifically he is alleged to have aided and abetted killings at Kabuye hill where as many as 25,000 Tutsi refugees were killed between 21 to 25 April 1994. In April and May 1994, Ntawukulilyayo, is also said to have addressed several meetings in Gikoro, Mudabori and Nyaruhengeri where he, among others, promised to reward those who would kill the greatest number of Tutsis with houses, land and money.