statement by - The Rwanda Documents Project

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Statement by Omar SERUSHAGO
~, t: ~ :55 9 58,
In 1990, I was a currency dealer, in both local and foreign currencies. My father was a
conseiller de secteur and a big trader in Gisenyi town. He was a native of the same area as
the President (Giciye commune) and that explains why he was a very influential man.
Dudng the Octoberl990 war, the leaders of the MRND, namely Col. RWENDEYE,
MAGERA (the President’s brother-in-law) and Col. Innocent NZABANITA alias
"Dictionnaire ", contacted my father and suggested to him that I should become a member
of the MRND/Interahamwe (the Interahamwe already existed by 1990, but it was a secret)»
My father and I discussed the advantages of being a member of the MRND, after which I
decided to join the movement. However, the nature of my job did not allow me to attend
meetings, as I was often away from Gisenyi. (N.B: the three people mentioned above are
dead).
I made several business trips between Kigali and Gisenyi between 1990 and 1992. While in
Kigali, I would not stay in a hotel. I would stay at the residence of CIaver MVUYEKURE,
the Director of the Banque Commerciale du Rwanda (BCR) or at Felicien
NSENGIMANA’s ( who is currently in Gabon). We always talked about the Tutsis in our
conversation with these people. They kept saying: "They are our enemies and we shall kill
them one day". Very often Col. BUREGEYA (Commander of the Ecole Supérieur
Militaire) and Col. NGAYINTERANYA (Commander of the Gendarmerie in Rwanda)
visited us and they would ask me to work with the Interahamwe, so as to assist the
President fight against and eliminate the Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
In July 1993, Jean Marc MPOZEMBIZI (Bourgmestre of Rubavu), Fazili HAKIZIMANA
(conseiller de secteur for Gisenyi) and SIBOMANA alias "Sheikh" (conseiller de secteur
for Gisenyi), started recruiting young people and giving them military training in the
Bigogwe camp. I was net involved in these activities at the time, because of my business.
The training was conducted by Major François Xavier UWIMANA and the camp
commander was Major Juvenal BAHUFITE. The following are some of the Interahamwe
from Gisenyi who underwent militait trainîng:
Bernard MUNYAGISHARI
HASSAN alias "Gitoki" (eut thumb)
Thomas MUGIRANEZA
Zainabo FAZILI (Bernard MUNYAGISHARI’s wife, new in Gisenyi
prison)
DJUMAPILI NYARIBOGI
Zari KANYARUHENGERI
Sifa MUREKATETE (017’s sister-in-law, who died in Tingi Tingi)
When the Interahamwe completed their training, Bourgmestre MPOZEMBIZI (now in
Gisenyi prison) and Conseillers HAKIZIMANA (in Gisenyi prison) and SIBOMANA Went
to military camps and obtained weapons which they handed over to the lnterahamwe. I
remember the women receiving AK 47’s.
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translat¢d from the French
1

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In July/August 1993, the Gisenyi Interahamwe received a delegation of some thirty
lnterahamwe militiamen from Kigali. I laid these people in the MRND hall in Gisenyi and
during the night, Major Juvenal BAHUFITE, who was then G2 in the military intelligence,
took them to the Bigogwe commando trairàng centre. In Bigogwe, the delegation was
reeeived by Major François Xavier UWIMANA, who was in charge of their training. Tl~y
were given military la’aining to enable them kill the Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
During July, August and September 1993, I took part in demonstrations against other
politieal parties. The demonstrations were organised by the MRND chairman and vicechairman
for Gisenyi, Whellas BANZI and Mathieu NYAGASAZA respectively, and a
CDR member ealled Barnabé SAMVURA. I never attended the meetings, but I reeeived
instructions from HASSAN and Bernard MUNYAGISHARI. They told me that I was
"strict and reliable" and would instruct me to go with lnterahamwe youths to get pick-up
trucks from traders for use in colleeting stones which were used for bloeking roads and the
airport in a bid to prevent the Tutsis from escaping. I took part in three demonstrations and
my role was always the same (trucks and stones). During one demonstration in (October
1993?), Bernard MUNYAGISHARI and Bamabé SAMVURA instructed me to go and
fetch a Tutsi woman named Patricia UZABUMWANA, who was married to a Belgian who
owned Edelweiss hotel, and take her to the Gisenyi MRND office. Michel (of CDR),
KIGURU-MUBARAKA, our driver Lionceau MUVUNYI and I, went to Eldeweiss Hotel.
I asked the woman to follow us to the MRND office, so that she takes back a fziGs~age to
the Tutsis that we knew what they were doing and that we were ready [sic]."V#~,,,~lad gone
for her because she used to let the Tutsis and moderate Hutus meet in one of the rooms in
the hotel. The woman feared for her lire offered me money which I refused to take. We
forced ber to the MRND office. When we got to the office, Benard and Bamabé told those
prescrit: "This is the Tutsi woman who offers the Tutsis a ropm~in’which they hold their
meetings. She said she was a Tutsi, but of Belgian nationality, The Préfet, who was in his
office, telephoned Kigali and was ordered to release the woman on grounds of her Belgian
nationality. Préfet Joseph HABIYAMBERE drove ber home.
In ’~’ December 1993, Joseph NZIRORERA and Juvenal UWlLINGIMANA held a meeting
at the Méridien Hotel in Gisenyi. The following ten leaders of the lnterahamwe militiamen
in Gisenyi attended the meeting:
- Bernard MUNYAGISHARI, overaU chairman of the lnterahamwe for Gisenyi
préfecture (said to be in Masisi)
- HASSAN alias Gitoki (eut thumb), ehairman of the lnterahamwe for Gisenyi town
(said to be in Bukavu or Goma)
- Thomas MUGIRANEZA, vice-ehairman of the lnterahamwe for Gisenyi town (said
to be in Masisi)
- Mabuye TWAGIRAYEZU, CDR chairman for Gisenyi
- Omar SERUSHAGO, who held no official title among the Gisenyi Interahamwe, but
in reality, being a native of the same village as President HABYARIMANA gav~him
considerable powers. He was the de facto chairman of the lnterahamwe in Gisenyi
town.
- Zainabo FAZILI, the lnterahamwe seeretary for Gisenyi and MUNYAGISHARI’s
wife. (She is in prison in Gisenyi)
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translated from the Frcnch 2
aP

9.
- Rashid GAHUTU, publicity secretary for the Interaharrrwe in Gisenyi (deceased)
- DJUMAPILI-NYARIBOGI, treasurer for the Gisenyi Interahamwe
- ~ Zari KANYARUHENGERI, treasurer.
The meeting had been convened to announce to us that we were lucky to have a new
commandant de place in Gisenyi, Col. Anatole NSENGIYUMVA, who was a hative of
Gisenyi and a true Interahamwe and that Iris presence should hOt pose any problem to us, for
he belonged to our polkical party and was an Interahamwe. (The Colonel had arrived that
very day). NZIRORERA told us that he would talk to the Colonel to get us amas. He said that
the weapons were hOt toys to play with and added that Bernard MUNYAGISHARI was
going to brief us on what to do with them. NZIRORERA offered 20,000 Rwandan francs to
each of the ten Interaharrrwe present. I came to leam later that NZIRORERA told Bernard
that the weapons were to be used to eliminate the Tutsis when things exploded in Gisenyi.
In January, February and March 1994, I cominued with my usual money-changing business.
Several meetings were held but I did not attend them. HASSAN kept me informed of the
outcome. Before April 1994, Bamabé SAMVURA of CDR circulated a document in which
he warned ail the Hutus to be alert, as the Tutsis were due to fight them. He further said:
"You the young Hutus, be reassured that you will be supplied with guns to fight the Tutsis.
Do not fear to go to the churches if that is where the Tutsis are hiding. Go and fight them
there". The document was signed by Jean Bosco BARAYAGWIZA (now under arrest in
Arusha)
10. On 7 April 1994??, I was living in one of Col. Bonaventure BUREGEYA’s houses. Thomas
MUGIRANEZA and one soldier came and told me to watch the house of my neighbour,
MUSONERA, who was a Tutsi and whose family members they were going to kill. I said
that I would kill them. (The MUSONERAs were my friends). When MUGIRANEZA and the
soldier left, I brought the MUSONERAs to my house, got my gun (an R4) and drove th~
family L to the priests for protection (the priests’ house was ne~ mine). MUSONERA had~$P
UZI gun in his house which I took with me to my house.
11. On 6 April 1994, I left the Méridien hotel at about 9.30 p.m. after taking some beer. At about
7.30 a.m. the next moming, about ten lnterahamwe from Kanama and Byahi, arrived at my
house, armed with maehetes and said they wanted to kill my wife (a Tutsi) and the members
of the MUSONERA family. I picked up my R4 gun and gave the UZI gun to a young man
who used to live with me and told him to shoot if the Interahamwe tried to force their way
inside. The Interahamwe then went away.
At about 8.30 a.m., four of the lnterahamwe returned to my house and asked where the
MUSONERAs were. I told them that I had been to their house but round no one ther~l$ffhe~-."
Interahamwe left. At this very moment, Col. Bonaventure BUREGEYA came and told me
that the lnterahamwe had killed lais younger brother’s daughter. The Colonel asked me to
accompany him to look for the body and bury it. When we arrived at the bouse, the girl was
indeed dead and the mother and three boys were hiding in the ceiling. We drove them to
the colonel’s house and before I left, the colonel told me "My brother, do not spill blood.
The President is dead and the little one (the girl) is dead. Do not spill blood".
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translated from the French
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I left the Colonel and return¢d to my bouse (ai about 10.00 a.m.). In front of my house,
met Lieutenant BIZUMUREMYI who intimidated me by asking: "Why are you ,not
involved in thc operation like the other Interahamwe?". I told him that I would bc joining
the opcmtion in one or two hours’ rime. Before leaving, he requcsted me fo look for the
Interahamwe in our neighbourhood so that he could issue them with grenades and ~bullets.
I stayed at home and at about 2.00 p.m., Col. ,tmatole came with about ten soldi¢rs and four
bodyguards in his Land Rover, followed by six other soldiers. Hc asked me why I was not
taking part in the operation like the others. I explained that my wife was pregnant and I was
waiting to transfer her fo Goma. The Préfet allowed me thirty days and on 13 April, I took
her to Goma. (I did not participate in the operation from 6 to 13 April and Colonel Anatole
wamed me that I was risking my life by not doing so.) "
On 13 April, having left my wife in Goma, I rctumed to my bouse and met Interahamwe
Thomas MUGIRANEZA and Bernard MUNYAGISHARI, as well as CDR members,
namely Hassan MABUYE-TWAGIRAYEZU, GAHUTU and DJUMAPILI-NYARIBOGI.
(DJUMAPILI-NYARIBOGI told me that he had set Edelweiss hotel on tire). They told
that since I was a "strict" person, I should be in charge of the roadblock at "Corniche" (a
Customs roadblock), which was a major roadblock on the only access road to Goma, Zaire.
I accepted thc assignment and thcy gave m~~our youths: two from CDR and two from
MRND, namely ABUBA-MACHAFU and BAHATI from CDR; and GAHUTU and
HAMISI-POKOU alias "Etranger" from MRND. Thomas MUGIRANEZA used to as#ist
me (by monitoring the situation and checking if I necded assistance).
When I arrivcd at the roadblock, Col. Anatole NSENGIYUMVA came and told me that I
was in charge of the roadblock and that I had to work earncstly. He then instructed to
collect a vehicle from my neighbours, the pdests. The priests were scared but ~::bxplained
that I had been sent by thc Colonel. They gave me the vehicle and ~r/l~tumed to the
roadblock. ~~ ~~:..
Major Apollinaire BIGANIRO, the Gendarmerie commander for Gisenyi, came to the
roadblock and instructed us not to let any Tutsis or moderate Hutus pass. He instructed us
to shoot and kill whoever we caught. He further told us that we were to work in
collaboration with him and that he would supply us with ammunition if wc needed any. We
were allowed access into the military base and Col. NSENGIYUMVA issucd us with
permits to bcar weapons. There was no incident at the roadblock between 13 and 20 April
and we did not participate in the operations.
On 20 April 1994, Col. Anatole NSENGIYUMVA told us that the soldiers were keeping
Tutsis at the home of Bishop Aloys BIGIRUMWAMI. He instructed us to go and collect
them, adding that we should not bave any problems with the soldiers. When we got there,
the soldiers disappeared and we loaded the Tutsis (twenty of them) into mini-buses and
drove them to the cemetery whcrc we killed them. I killed four of them, a man and three
women, with my gun.
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translat~l from the Fmnch 4
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~0ï35962
In faet, among the twenty victims of that operation, there were two women who were very
close to Col. NZUNGIZE, then commander of the Bigogwe commando training camp. One
was_ his mistress and the other was his elder sister, a housekeeper at Bishop
BIG1RUMWAMI’s residence. A furious Col. NZUNGIZE who wanted to revenge, sent his
troops to look for those responsible for the women’s death. Thomas MUGIRANEZA and I
went hîding in Juvenal UWILINGIMANA and Joseph NZIRORERA’s rooms at the
Méridien hotel. Col. NSENGIYUMVA and Joseph NZIRORERA met Col. NZUNGIZE
and the problem was sorted out.
Axound 30 April, Major Appolinaire BIGANIRO, the gendarmerie commander for
Gisenyi, instructed us to go to RWANDEX and collect the Tutsis there and kilk them. He
told us that there were gendarmes there, who would identify the Tutsis for us. Those who
took part in the mission were Damas??, Thomas, MUGIRANEZA, Bernard
MUNYAGISHARI, Hassan alias "Gitoki", our driver Miehael ABUBA and I. When we
got to RWANDEX, the gendarmes showed us two Tutsi women, two Tutsi men and one
Hum girl. The Tutsi watehman at RWANDEX wanted to deny us aceess by throwing a
grenade at us, but it did not explode. Damas, Michael ABUBA, Thomas MUGIRAI~EZA
and Bernard MUNYAGISHARI, beat the watchrnan to death, using stieks.
**A white man who had a video camera filmed the incident. (It was said he was
Frenchman)**
A Tutsi woman who knew me asked me: "Omar, w--’lïy do you do this?". I told her to remain
ealm and that she was not going to be beaten like the watehrnan. We took the two women
and the two men to the eemetery and we killed them. The Tutsi ~ who knew me
(Longin RUDASINGWA’s second wife) was killed by Thomas, who s’glTot her in the head.
The other woman and the two men were killed by Hassan alias "Gitoki"s body guard (name
unknown).
After this massacre, commander BIGANIRO came round to check whether the operation
had been sueeessfully accomplished. He told us to continue with the operation, as there
were Tutsis in the eells, whom we had to kill that night.
We went to the eells and file guards allowed us to take away the Tutsis (the guards had
been instrueted by BIGANIRO to let us do our work). We left the eells with ten Tutsis and
took them to the publie eemetery. We told them we were taking them to Rubavu commune
for their safety. They were hot aware that ,,ve were taking them to the eemetery. (The term
"publie eemetery" was the code naine given to the lnterahamwe by Bourgmestre
MPOZEMBIZI to denote where the massacres were to take place.)
We killed the ten Tutsis when we arrived at the eemetery. I did not kill anyone. I gave my
gun to my younger brother, Feruzi AYABAGABO, who took part in the killing. He was
with usas my bodyguard. Commander BIGANIRO came to sec us and said that we had to
carry on with what we were doing. He instrueted us to go to Nyundo and continue killing.
But I retumed to the "corniche" customs roadblock.
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translated from the Frcnch

During the night, Col. NZUNGIZE sent a soldier to ldll me. The guard at the (customs)
border came and told me that some suspicious person wanted to see me. I took my gun,
appr0ached the soldier and searched him. He had a pistol and a grenade. He started mnning
towards the Zaire border and I opened tire, hitting him in the legs. I askè’d the Zairean
soldiers to look for him.
The General in Goma, who was at the immigration post at the border, heard the shots and
telephoned Col. NSENGIYUMVA to ask what was happening. The Colonel arrived an
hour later and asked me what had happened, as the Zaireans elaimed that shots had been
fired in their direction. I showed Col. NSENGIYUMVA the soldier’s mission warrant,
whieh he had dropped. The warrant had bëen signed by Col. NZUNGIZE, instructing the
soldier to kill Thomas MUGIRANEZA and myself. The soldier w~ subsequently arrested
by the Zaireans and handed over to the gendarmerie for questioning. I went to bed and
when I woke up, Col. Anatole NSENGIYUMVA reassured me that ail would be fine with
Col. NZUNGIZE. Our group did not carry out any other operation.
From late April to late May, I was at the "corniche" roadblock, searchifig buses and other
vehicles, in order to identify Tutsis. We did not find any during that period.
Around late May or early June, Joseph NZIRORERA told us that some Tutsis and Hut~
from Kigaii had corne to Gisenyi and that we had to trace them and kill them. He further
told us that Radio RTLM was now based in Gisenyi and that he would keep us reforme.d-of
where the Tutsis and moderate Hutus were hiding.
After that meeting, I ,,vent back to the roadblock. I got a telephone call from Juvenal ~"
UWILINGIMANA, who asked me to go and get Longin RUDASINGWA’s wife who was
hiding in Fabien NSENGIYUMVA’s house in Gisenyi, and kill her. Thomas
MUGIRANEZA and I went for the woman and took ber to the Méridien hotel for
identification. Col. NSENGIYUMVA told us not to waste time with her. He ordered that
we take her to the eemetery and get rid of ber. We took her to the cemetery where a FAR
lieutenant (named RWABUHIHI) recognised her and killed her with a buUet in the head.
We then retumed to Palm Beach hotel to report to NZIRORERA and Col.
NSENGIYUMVA that the issue of the woman was over. They congratulated us for a job
well donc.
About a week later, radio RTLM made a description of Stanis SIMBIZI. When he arrived
at the roadblock, he was recognised by the President’s brother-in-law, Prot~
ZIGIRANYIRAZO alias "Z". I arrested him and handed him over to Thorrl~
MUGIRANEZA, who took him to the cemetery where, according to what Thomas
KIVENGE (son of Yussuf Fataki) killed him with a machete.
toldmk-y~
Towards the end of June, Col. NSENGIYUMVA summoned ail of us to the Gisenyi
military barracks and told us that ammunition was available and asked us to recruit youths
to go and fight in Gitarama and Kigaii. Rashid GAHUTU and I plied the roads in a vehicle
equipped with a megaphone. We went around Gisenyi and Byahi, where GAHUTU called
upon the youth to report to Umuganda stadium. At the stadium, Col. NSENGIYUMVA
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translatcd from th¢ Frcnch 6
:~ t
L

told the youths that arms and ammunition were available for fighting the Tutsis in Kigali.
He said that buses were ready te convey the youths te Kigali. Three busloads left for
Kig~i. I retumed te the roadblock after the meeting.
At about 6.30 p.m., I went te eat and drink in drink at Palm Beach hotel with ofmy brother
Abass HABYARIMANA. There, we round Félicien NSENGIMANA (Director in the
Presidency), BAGOSORA’s son-in-iaw (naine unknown) and Charles BACURUWIHA.
BAGOSORA’s brother-in-law told us that a Tutsi named Edouard NTAGA~URA (an
accountant with TRANSINTRA in Kigali), was in Gisenyi and had a lot ’~f money
(500,000) and RPF files. My brother and I went te the house where NTAGANIRA was. Fie
introduced himself and my brother put him in the pick-up truck. As we left, the neigh~«»urs
shouted: "The boy is going te die immediately, even though he is alItum". We took him te
my house. In the meantime, the housekeeper next door telephoaed Col. NSNGIYUMVA
and told him that something scandalous was happening. The Colonel rang te inform me
that the local population was bardcading the roads and that I had te take NTAGANIRA te
the military barracks. When I retumed te the room where I had left,F_,douard and my
brother, I asked what had happened. My brother had cut offthe lower~a~-t of Edouard’s ear
with a knife, because he said he had no money. We went te the military barracks where we
met Col. NSNGIYUMVA. We handed over Edouard te the soldiers and leit.
The day the French troops arrived in Gisenyi (8 July 1994?), I lefl the roadblock and went
te Palm Beach hotel. I saw the French troops at the round-about and I noticed that one of
the drivers was a Tutsi soldier (called KAJUGUJUGU) frein the RPF. I left the hotel and
asked KAJUGUJUGU: "what have you come te de here?". He did net reply. I left for the
roadblock and on my way, I met Enoch KAYONDE and I told him what I had just seen.
KAYONDE was already aware of what was happening. I told him that I was retuming te
the roadblock te ensure that KAJUGUJUGU did net go back te Zaire. I blockid the ~ad
and refused te open when flac French soldiers and journalists arrived. By then
KAJUGUJUGU was no longer drivîng, but travelling in a military jeep driven by a
journalist. I told the French soldiers that KAJUGUJUGU could net be allowed te cross
over, as he was a Tutsi soldier. The French soldiers conferred for about two te three
minutes, then they left the Tutsi soldier with us and crossed te Zaire. Later on, KAYONDE
accompanied by soldiers of the Presidential Guard came and I handed KAJUGUJUGU te
them.
The French and the Zairean immigration officers were monitoring the situation frein their
side of the border. Se they came te the roadblock with the North Kivu govemor,
MOTOMUPENDA, te tell me that the boy was a Zairean and that I should hand him over
te them. I tÇlephoned CoL NSENGIYUMVA and briefed him on the situation. He then
came te the roadblock and discussed with the govemor for ten minutes, after which the
Colonel instructed us te release KAJUGUJUGU te the governor, which we did.
During this period, I had hidden a Tutsi woman and her four children in my house (a
businessman from Kigali, Jean Claude NDAMIYE, had asked me te hide them and help
them cross over te Zaire). I also had two boys living with me, namely, Joseph Benjamin
NIWE (son of MBONABARYI) and his brother Gaston MBONABARYI. One day (I
K005-2406 - K005-2413 TranslateM from th¢ Fr¢n¢h
7

emember the date), the two boys together with BAGOSORA’s son named Vicky, wanted
to kill the woman and her four children. I told them that I was the boss in my house and as
such I had to decide their fate. I cooled down the situation and I helped the family cross
over to Zaire that very evening.
One day, in late June, I was ai flac "corniche" roadblock when a truck carrying bdcks was
retuming to Zaire. I checked the truck and round a Tutsi youfla hidden in flae load of bricks.
I arrested the young man (naine unknown) and handed him over to Bernard
MUNYAGISHARI and Thomas MUGIRANEZA. I do not know what happened to flac
young man, but I think he was killed.
In June, Emmanuel MUSONERA’s wife was hiding at the pdests" residence. The soldiers
came to my bouse a/ter seeing the lady’s car parked in my compound. They wanted to take
the car. At the saine time, four lnterahamwe (armed with machetes and knives) came to rriy
house and asked for the woman’s whereabouts. I told them I did not know where she was.
In flae meantime, the priests were watching what was happening. They rang me and asked
what to do, for the lady was in their bouse. I asked flaem to keep calm and reassured them
flaat I would handle the situation. However, someone overheard the conversation and the
soldiers went to the priests’ house to pick the lady. As they came out, I asked one soldier:
"What do you want from the woman?". They wanted the car and money. The lnterahamwe
wanted to kill ber. I reassured the lady and I gave 50,000 francs to the lnterahamwe and the
soldiers left with the car. The lady stayed in my house and I helped ber cross the border to
Zaire during the night.
My two brothers I memioned above died during the war.
This statemem was read to me by investigator Jean BASTRACHE, in the presenclbf
Rejean TREMBLAY. I signed it freely and voluntarily, without duress or promise, Well
aware that it may be used in evidence against me.
Signed in Nairobi, Kenya, on 3 February 1998.
Jean BASTRACHE
Omar SERUSHAGO
Rejean TREMBLAY
K005-2406 - K005-2413 Translated ffom the French 8

.,
UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda
WITNESS STATEMENT
Date of interview: 16, 17 and 19 June 2001
Place of interview: Annex of the Arnsha Detention Facility
Language used in interview: French
Name of interviewers(s): Martin SEUTCHEU
Other persons present dttring the interview: Don Webster
Naine ofinterpreters used in the interview:
I: IDENTIFICATION OF WITNESS
1) Last Name: SERUSHAGO
First Name: Omar
Nickname:
2) Date ofbirth: 24 April 1961
3)Religion: Moslem
4)Nationality: Rwandan
5)Ethnic origin: Hutu
6)Occupation:
K0184062 Translated from the French
Age: Sex: M
In April 1994: Trader
Current: Detainee at ICTR
Ko~ 844s3
t
L! .

7) Address:
K01 844 54
Place of birth Current In April 1994
Mweya
Cellule: Cellule: Cellule: "Corniche"
,,, ,,
Secteur: Gisenyi Secteur: Secteur: Gisenyi
Commune." Rubavu Commune Commune: Rubavu
Préfecture: Gisenyi Préfecture: PréfectureGisenyi
8) Parents:
Mother: Amina MUKAMUSONI
Father: Faïzi SINABYAYE
9) Marital status: Married
Name of spouse: Pauline MUREKATETE
Number ofchildren: Six
10) Language(s) spoken: Kinyarwanda, French, Swahili and Lingala
11) Language(s) written: Kinyarwanda, French and Swahili
12)Past residence outside Rwanda:
Period:
Country: Reason:
Remarks:
13) Member of social or political association:
Name:
Function:
Period:
Remarks:
14) Name and address of a friend, relative or acquaintance:
Name:
Address:
Relationship:
K0184062 Translated from the French

K01 844 55
I have met with the investigators of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
several times and I have already given them several verbal and signed written statements.
The investigators in the Office of the Prosecutor requested me to provide further details
about certain aspects of my previous statements. I hereby fumish further information in
response to the questions put to me by the investigators.
I know Promis ZIGIRANYIRAZO well; he was also called Mr. Z. Both of us hail from
Bushiru, which is also President HABYARIMANA’s native region. Our parents
maintained very cordial relations and I remember that his father [Gervais MAGERA]
wanted me to convert to Catholicism. Mr. Z was also my neighbour in Gisenyi as one of
his houses was near mine and not far from the "Corniche" customs post. It was quite
close to the Zaire border. I recall that his house was guarded by some elements of the
Presidential Guard (in 1994). He was considered as one of the most influential people
Rwanda. It must be noted that as the brother of the President’s wife, he belonged to the
"AKAZU", the hard core of power. His influence was predominant, even in Gisenyi,
where Colonel NSEGIYUMVA was the commandant de place. Protais
ZIGIRANYIRAZO wielded considerable financial and political power. It was generally
acknowledged that he had a say in the appointment of members of government and senior
military officers. People in Gisenyi were of the opinion that Colonel NSEGIYUMVA
owed him his appointment to head that military region.
During the 1994 events in Rwanda, I was in charge of the roadblock mounted at the
border, between Gisenyi and Zaire. It was one of the most important roadblocks, if not
the most important in Gisenyi because those who wanted to go to Zaire had to cross it. It
was called the "Corniche" roadblock. The purpose of erecting that roadblock was to spot
the Tutsis and moderate Hutus deemed accomplices of the RPF and prevent them from
fleeing into Zaire. I was permanently at that roadblock where The Tutsis and moderate
Hutus were monitored da), and night. People were not killed at that roadblock.
Whenever an enemy was spotted, my people and I led him toa place known as the ’red
commune’ for execution. The red commune was in fact a cemetery situated behind the
Umuganda stadium, in Rubavu commune. The place was called red commune because
blood was shed there. I do believe that Colonel NSEGIYUMVA himself coined the
appellation (red commune). If I remember rightly, he used this terre at a meeting
organised at the military camp in the night of 6 breaking 7 April. I did not attend the
meeting, but Bernard MUNYAGISHARI and Thomas MUGIRANEZA told me about it.
, It was a devious stratagem, as they were going to tell the Tutsis that their identity was
being ascertained at the roadblock [or elsewhere in Gisenyi town] so as to take them to
the commune office for their protection. However, the intention was in fact to take them
to the cemetery and execute them. To us the Interahamwe, the meaning of the expression
was clear: the red commune denoted a place for shedding blood. Generally orders to
detect and kill the Tutsis and moderate Hutus came from Colonel NSEGIYUMVA.
I recall that in late June 1994, when the interim govemment had moved its headquarters
to Gisenyi, Mr. Z came to out roadblock. It must be noted that his residence was just by
the immigration post at the Zaire border, slightly behind the roadblock. Initially, he
K0184062 Translated from the French

would ask us to work well, and encourage us to forge ahead, work efficiently; meaning
that we must kill the Tutsis. At that time, the RTLM [from Kigali up to the time they
moved to Gisenyi] put out a bulletin on Stanislas SIMBIZI, citing his narne and
furnishing information to facilitate his identification. Other persons such as Enoch
KAYONDE, Vicky (BAGOSORA’s son), Benjamin and his brother Gaston (President
HABYARIMANA’s cousins, being the sons of his uncle Noel MBONABARYI) ail of
who were Interahamwe, as well as other people from Kigali wamed us that Mr.
SIMBIZI, was expected to arrive and must be arrested. Ail those persons slept in my
house, except Vicky BAGOSORA. They were ail dressed in military attire. Mr.
SIMBIZI, a moderate Hutu, was the Director of the school printing press (IMPRISCO)
Kigali. He was accused of being an RPF accomplice and he was wanted. On that day,
besides me, the following Interahamwe were also present at the roadblock: Hassan,
Thomas MUGIRANEZA, Bernard MUNYAGISHARI, Hamis POKU and GAHUTU.
Some CDR party militants such as ABUBA, BAHATI and Lionceau were also present,
and so were some gendarmes, two immigration officers (including KAHAYIZA whom
was protecting, but who fled in late April), some customs oftïcers and one Callixte and
the "receiver-in- chief" in person. We were roughly fîfteen in ail. Right now I may
bave left out some of the names of people who were there.
When Mr. Stanislas SIMBIZI arrived at the roadblock, he was in a blue-jeans suit with a
badge showing President HABYARIMANA’s head pinned on his shirt. I noticed that
when he entered the neutral zone because the Préfet of Gisenyi, Dr. Charles
ZILIMWABAGABO came to ask us to remove the roadblock at the same time Stanislas
was going through. I stopped him and, almost simultaneously, Protais
ZIGIRANYIRAZO arrived and told us that the individual in question was Stanislas
SIMBIZI. He ordered us to take him away and kill him, Considering the influence Mr. Z
had, it was out of the question to disobey him. Thomas MUGIRANEZA took Stanislas
away in a black Hiace minibus to the red commune. Some rime later, he returned to
inform us that an lnterahamwe named KIVENGE, had hacked Stanislas to death with a
machete. [KIVENGE was stationed in the cemetery to kill persons brought there].
Protais ZIGIRANYIRAZO was still present at the roadblock when Thomas returned to
report SIMBIZrs death. Thomas brought back SIMBIZI’s passport with him. It is
worthy of note that the Préfet of Gisenyi, Dr. Charles ZILIMWABAGABO, was also
present at the beginning of that incident and was angry because he thought that SIMBIZI
was going to be killed, seeing that he had been arrested at the roadblock. I date say that
the préfet was against the killings, but Colonel NSEGIYUMVA would tell us that he
(NSEGIYUMVA) had the authority together with his Interahamwe and that we must
obey them and not the préfet. We were well aware that we must obey Lieutenant Colonel
NSEGIYUMVA and not the préfet.
I also recall that that the Presidential Guard soldiers guarding Mr. Z’s house were under
his orders and killed people in Gisenyi. I know this because one of them, a corporal
named HABIMANA, who wanted to marry my sister at the time, told me that they had
started killing the Tutsis because President HABYARIMANA had died. Protais also
spent a lot of time in his house in Karago [just next to President HABYARIMANA’s] in
Bushiru, mouming President HAB¥ARIMANA. Protais also encouraged the
K0184062 Translated from the French

K01 84457
Interahamwe who manned the roadblock just next to his house in Karago to kill Tutsis
and moderate Hutus fleeing the massacres in Kigali. I got the information from Mr. Z’s
cousin [son of Elie SAGATWA’s younger brother called BUHIRIKE, who was a wellknown
trader in Karago and treasurer of the lnterahamwe there] while he was with
President HABYARIMANA’s cook, a Presidential Guard corporal called Ananie, but
whose sumame I do not remember. I must add that the road from Kigali via Gitarama
[through the communes of Satinski, Ramba, Gaseke, Giciye, Karago, Mukamira and
Gisenyi] was the only practicable route between Kigali and Gisenyi. Ail vehicles were
using that route at the time because the road through Ruhengeri had become impassable
[because of shelling from both armies].
It was common knowledge that Mr. Z financed the lnterahamwe at the national level. In
Gisenyi, ail the financing and training of the Interahamwe was coordinated by Wellars
BANZI and Mathias NYAGASAZA [chairman of the Interahamwe in Karago] and it
would appear that Mr. Z was in direct contact with them and with Joseph NZIRORERA.
With regard to meetings and contributions, I recall that a series of meetings and deliveries
of arms did take place. That was around June 1994, when the interim Govemment was
based in Gisenyi. A meeting was held at the Méridien Hotel [Izuba] in Gisenyi to discuss
how to collect funds from businessmen to purchase arms for fighting the enemy [some
other meetings were held at the MRND building]. It was generally agreed that the arms
so obtained were to be distdbuted amongst the Interahamwe and CDR youths. As a
matter of fact, the persons involved in this fund-raising drive were the saine people who
often supported the Interahamwe, namely Joseph NZIRORERA and Mathieu
NGIRUMPATSE. But it is worth noting that Félicien KABUGA, Augustin
NGIRABATWARE, the Minister of planning and Juvénal UWILINGIYIMANA
[Director General of National Parks, who was an MRND member at national level], were
equally involved. Influential businessmen from Gisenyi and other prominent people from
Kigali also attended the meeting. At that time, in early Jtme 1994, Gisenyi had become
the real centre of power of the interim government. Ail the important figures in the
country had already left Kigali and the interim government had fled from Gitarama and
as such, Giseanyi had become the seat of power in the country.
Another important meeting was also held at the Méridien hotel in Gisenyi. I think this
meeting took place after the one I mentioned above, during which Félicien KABUGA
organised a fund-raising drive for purchasing arms [the meeting during which KABUGA
set the example by making a special contribution]. The meeting was attended by several
members of the interim government. I recall that NDINDABAHIZI, the Minister of
Finance who was a native of Kibuye [who requisitioned govemment vehicles - lorries,
tractors, cars, etc. and sold them in Zaire to obtain money for purchasing ammunition],
Joseph NZIRORERA, Anatole NSENGIYUMVA, Pierre BASABOSE [owner of a big
foreign exchange bureau] and Mathieu NGIRUMPATSE ,’tmong others, were present. I
am not sure whether Mr. Z attended this meeting. I must say that I saw Mr. Z at the
Méridien hotel where he must have been in contact with Anatole NSENGIYUMVA and
members of the govemment. But I am not sure whether he attended the meeting on that
day, though his presence cannot be ruled out.
K0184062 Translated from the French

During the meeting, there was debate on the issue of purchasing and distributing weapons
in order to launch an attack on Nyange, in Kibuye. The Tutsis in that area had
vigourously resisted the attacks of the Interahamwe and the CDR youths and yet the
attackers had been supported by soldiers. The meeting at the Méridien was thus meant to
organise the purchase and distribution of amas and ammunition to the Interahamwe of
Gisenyi [and those from Kigali who were.around] so that they go to Nyange in Kibuye
préfecture as reinforcements in order to crush the resistance of the Tutsis. The arms were
ferried in from Goma International Airport in Zaire in trailer-trucks which were meant to
transport beer, under the escort of Lt. Col. Anatole NSENGIYUMVA. As a matter of
fact, whenever the arrns were being brought in, electricity would be switched off between
Goma and Gisenyi for some hours at night to ensure they were transported in total
darkness. "Streamers", a type of weapon similar to a grenade and which produces a huge
flame on impact, were delivered. Lt. Col. Anatole NSENGIYUMVA also issued fuel
from the military camp for the vehicles that transported the Interahamwe to Nyange [and
for travel within Gisenyi]. I also recall that Lt. Col. NSENGIYUMVA gave me fuel for
the ONATRACOM bus I was using whenI went around with a megaphone looking for
the Interahamwe to be sent to reinforce Kigali. At one point, it was Lt. Col.
NSENGIYUMVA who was issuing permits to carry weapons.
I will be at the disposal of the investigators from the Office of the Prosecutor should they
require further clarifications on my previous statements.
This document contains 09 pages.
K0154062 Translated from the Fren¢h