AfroAmerica Network
Kigali
04.10.01
Belgium has agreed to finance the trip of witnesses to Ntezimana's trial. Dr. Ntezimana, a former professor at the Universite Nationale du Rwanda is accused of participation in genocide and is being tried in Belgium.
AfroAmerica has received, under the condition of anonymity, information from a Rwandan military official in the Gendarmerie Nationale (Paramilitary troops, National Guard and Police) du Rwanda confirming that Belgium has agreed to fund trips and pay bonuses and all expenses to witnesses ready to testify in the trials of Dr. Ntezimana and several catholic nuns. These trials have been going on for years and always ended in mistrial or dismissal for lack of proofs or on procedural errors.
Among witnesses who will benefit from the perks are:
1. Gasana Ndoba
2. Bonaventure Habimana
3. Laurien Ntezimana
4. Longine Rudasingwa
5. Bishop Augustine Misago
6. General Marcel Gatsinzi
7. Scolastique Mukangira
8. Beata Mukeshimana
Apart from Bishop Augustine Misago who, perhaps in recollection of his own unjust imprisonment and trial for genocide, has refused to testify against the accused, all other witnesses are expected to testify for the prosecution. Bonaventure Habimana was the second most powerful person during Habyalimana's regime. After a brief imprisonment for genocide, he was released after accepting to cooperate with RPF and paying hefty bribes to RPF leaders. General Marcel Gatsinzi was a high ranking officer in Rwandan EX-FAR. However, he is believed to have been double agent and worked with RPF since 1992. He later joined RPF and is currently Chief of Staff of Gendarmerie Nationale. Other witnesses are RPF officials or members.
The source at the Gendarmerie told AfroAmerica that Belgium will pay, for the trip and the perks, 90 million Belgian Francs or US $ 3,000,000. "If this is true is an organized corruption of witnesses and definitely, misappropriation of public funds, " a Belgian citizen in Kigali, Rwanda told AfroAmerica Network. The source in Gendarmerie told AfroAmerica Network that all the 8 witnesses, except Bishop Augustine Misago will be housed in the Belgian Royal Military Academy (Ecole Royale Militaire) and will be provided military escort.
Meanwhile, AfroAmerica Network received more information regarding Straton Ndamage. He was featured in our March 29, 2001 story titled "Rwandan Refugees in Belgium fear for their lives" (www.afroamerica.net/afroamerica.html).
In March 29 story, AfroAmerica Network had found that Straton Ndamage, using deception and lies, was able to capture the confidence of Ms. Peggy Vercauteren, who works for C.G.R.A., a refugee integration agency in Belgium.
Based on information provided by Straton Ndamage's childhood buddy, AfroAmerica has confirmed that Straton Ndamage has never been a Congolese. According to the source, Straton Ndamage is from Cellule Kinyinya, Secteur Kirarangombe, Nshili Commune, Gikongoro region. In 1994 he fled to Kayanza. Burundi and stayed there with his family until 1995 before coming back to Rwanda. His father, Leonard Edemeri, was a businessman in Butare before 1990 and his brother was an RPA soldier even before the invasion of Rwanda in 1990. Upon his return to Rwanda, he allegedly had several Hutu from his Nshili commune and Butare region put in jail. He apparently recently entered Belgium with large sums of money.
(c)AfroAmerica Network, April, 2001.
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