Rwanda Seeks Death for 'Genocide' Bishop

May 10 2000 at 10:43AM

Kigali - State prosecutors have asked a Kigali judge to sentence former Rwandan bishop Augustin Misago to death for his role in the 1994 genocide, national radio reported on Wednesday.

Civilian plaintiffs also asked for 30 billion Rwandan francs (about R71-million) in compensation for the victims' families, Radio Rwanda said.

Misago, the former bishop of southwestern Gikongoro, is accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, non-assistance to people in danger, incitation to murder and complicity in the 1994 genocide that claimed between 500 000 and 800 000 lives in Rwanda.

The 56-year-old bishop is also accused of complicity in the murders of about 20 priests and religious workers in Kigali during the genocide.

Misago is the first high-level Catholic official to be tried on genocide charges in Rwanda.

He is part of the first group of suspects to be tried, which includes suspected killers, rapists and architects of the 1994 genocide. All those in the first group face the death penalty if convicted.

The bishop's lawyers have requested a delay in the proceedings because of their client's poor health, Radio Rwanda said, adding that the trial is scheduled to resume on Friday.

The defense's closing arguments be delayed because he was "tired after standing all day to hear the prosecutor's remarks".

"The charges were reread as if there had not been a long trial. They rehashed the same charges from the trial's start without taking into account witness testimony and defense arguments," Pognon added.

The trial began August 20 1999, after Misago's arrest on April 14 last year, and has since been delayed several times, often because of the bishop's poor health.- Sapa-AFP

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/html/frame_news.php?art_id=qw957955381651B265&set_id=19&click_id=68