Rwanda genocide survivors welcome perpetrator sentence

Survivors of the 1994 Rwanda genocide have welcomed the outcome of the Kigali court that saw Charles Bandora sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the 1994 Genocide.

Bandora who was extradited from Norway in 2013 after losing court battles against his extradition is accused of genocide, extermination, conspiracy to commit killing, formation of a criminal organization and murder as a crime against humanity.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, president of IBUKA, an umbrella association of Rwanda genocide survivors said that survivors were pleased by the sentence.

"We are happy about the court ruling, but 30 years are few when you compare to the crimes he committed during the genocide. I thank the government of Rwanda for ensuring that justice for genocide victims prevails," he said.

Dusingizemungu said there are other genocide perpetrators who still at large in foreign countries, and appealed to countries that might be hosting those genocide criminals to extradite them to Rwanda to face the law.

Bandora who was sentenced Friday for genocide committed in Rwanda 21 years ago was the first genocide fugitive to be extradited to Rwanda, following a series of deportations and a transfer of one suspect from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

Born in 1954, Bandora was a businessman and vice-president of the then ruling party MRND in the former Ngenda Commune currently in Bugesera District, Eastern Rwanda.

The genocide fugitive, who was a well known businessman in the area, commanded a lot of influence, where by about 600 ethnic Tutsi who had sought refuge at Ruhuha Catholic Parish and others in the neighboring areas were brutally murdered by interahamwe militia.

"He was an influential person in our area. I remember he held several meetings at night with his militia. It's from those meetings that genocide was executed in our area. He oversaw the supply of weapons, food and clothes that helped militia kill innocent people," said Jerome Mwunvaneza, a resident of Ngenda Commune currently Bugesera District.

The 49 year old, Mwunvaneza who lost his family during the genocide said he was satisfied by the ruling and he wishes to see other fugitives face the law.

Bandora, told the court on Friday that he would appeal against the 30 year sentence. The appeal against a decision by the specialized chamber is referred to the Supreme Court.

This is the first sentence the chamber has delivered since it was created to mainly try suspects extradited to Rwanda from other jurisdictions.

Rwanda's 1996 organic law was given a retroactive mandate of apprehending Genocide suspects, meaning it was empowered to try crimes committed between 1990 and 1994.

Under the 1948 Genocide Convention, the international community is obliged to act once genocide occurs anywhere in the world. At the moment seven people accused of committing Genocide have been extradited from Uganda, Canada, U.S. and the Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to stand trial in Rwanda.

More fugitives are still being tracked, including wealthy Rwandan businessman, Felicien Kabuga, accused of bankrolling the Genocide.