Georges Rutaganda

Georges Anderson Nderubumwe Rutaganda (November 27, 1958 – October 11, 2010) was the second vice-president of the Rwandan Hutu militia Interahamwe.[1][2]

Georges Rutaganda
Georges_Rutaganda
Born(1958-11-27)27 November 1958
Nhabiyu Province, Rwanda-Urundi
Died11 October 2010(2010-10-11) (aged 51)
Cotonou, Benin
Criminal statusDeceased
ChildrenAt least one son who participated in the murders
Allegiance Rwanda
Conviction(s)Crime against humanity
Criminal penaltylife imprisonment
Date apprehended
10 October 1995

Rutaganda was partly responsible for the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Prosecutor James Stewart stated that "Without Georges Rutaganda, the Rwandan genocide would not have functioned the way it did."[3] He was on radio RTLM (Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines) in Kigali in 1994, encouraging Interahamwe Militia to exterminate all Tutsis. It was alleged that Rutaganda captured, raped, and tortured Tutsi women in Interahamwe hideouts in Kigali. Other accounts state that Rutaganda captured Tutsi prostitutes, believing them to be witches.

During this time, Rutaganda was reported to supply his militia with stolen supplies from the Rwandan military. Rutaganda was arrested on October 10, 1995, and transferred to Arusha, Tanzania, on May 26, 1996. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity and murder.

He died from illness in Benin, where he was serving his sentence, on October 11, 2010.[4]

Rutaganda was portrayed by Hakeem Kae-Kazim in the historical drama film Hotel Rwanda.[5]

References
  1. Des Forges, Alison (March 1999). Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda – The Organization → The Militia. New York: Human Rights Watch. ISBN 1-56432-171-1. Phénéas Ruhumuriza, first vice-president, George Rutaganda, second vice president...
  2. "Georges Anderson Nderubumwe Rutaganda". TRIAL International.
  3. "Life sentence for Rwanda genocide leader". BBC News. 1999-12-06. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
  4. "L'ancien chef milicien rwandais Georges Rutaganda est décédé au Bénin" [The former Rwandan militia chief Georges Rutaganda is dead in Benin]. RFI (in French). October 13, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  5. "George Rutaganda (Character)". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
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