Another year for confessions

2004-03-19 14:37

Kagali - Rwanda extended the deadline for suspects in the 1994 genocide to confess in exchange for conditional release from detention and possible lenient punishment, a senior justice official said Thursday.

More than 90 000 genocide suspects in jails have one more year to detail their role and name other participants in the slaughter of at least 500 000 minority Tutsis and political moderates from the Hutu majority, said Johnson Businge, secretary general in the ministry of justice.

Since the programme was introduced in 1996, at least 60 000 suspects have confessed their role in the 100-day slaughter, Businge told reporters.

At least 25 000 of those who confessed were released from detention last May on condition that they lead exemplary lives while awaiting trial by neighbours in traditional community courts.

But organisers, leaders and supervisors of the 1994 genocide and those accused of rape will not be released.

As Rwanda prepares to mark 10 years since the genocide began, suspects are eager to take up the offer that would see them walk out of overcrowded jails.

"They want to come clean," Businge said. "They feel it is time to come out and tell the truth."

- AP