Life for Rwanda war crimes
2009-10-29 20:40
Montreal - A Rwandan man who was the first person convicted under a law allowing people in Canada to be tried for war crimes committed abroad has been sentenced to life in prison.
Desire Munyaneza, 42, was found guilty in May of all seven charges, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes for his role in the 1994 rape and slaughter of at least 500 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda. He will not be eligible for parole for 25 years.
Justice Andre Denis issued the sentence on Thursday.
Munyaneza, a Hutu, is the first defendant to be tried under the seven-year-old War Crimes Act.
Munyaneza was living in Toronto when he was arrested in October 2005 after reports that he had been seen circulating among Canada's Rwandan community.
- AP