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Lt. Samuel Imanishimwe arrested in Mombasa

A former commander of the Rwandese army in Cyangugu prefecture during the 1994 genocide, Lt. Samuel Imanishimwe, was arrested yesterday in Mombasa, Kenya, following a request by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and transferred to the Tribunal's Detention Facilities in Arusha.

Lt. Imanishimwe is suspected to have committed genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious violations of common article 3 to the Geneva Conventions, in Cyangugu, where he was commander of the army.

An official of the prosecutor's office Mr. Mohamed Othman said the arrest further consolidates the Tribunal's commitment to bring to justice all those who are suspected to have failed in preventing genocide, or gave orders to others to commit it, and even participated in the act itself, in Rwanda in 1994.

The arrest adds to the number of top ranking military personnel awaiting trial for roles they played during the massacres in Rwanda, and brings to 21 the number of suspects and accused persons currently being detained in the Tribunal's facility in Arusha.

It also brings to nine the number of persons who have been arrested in the territory of the Republic of Kenya in the last one month. Late last month eight persons were arrested in Nairobi in an overnight operation code-named NAKI (Nairobi-Kigali) and transferred to Arusha. Six of the persons are scheduled to appear before the Tribunal on Thursday August 14th for a public inter partes hearing.

The Tribunal has again thanked the Government of the Republic of Kenya for her positive role in the arrest and transfer of Lt. Imanishimwe to Arusha.

For information only - Not an official document

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