Colonel Théoneste Bagosora (born 16 August 1941) is a Rwandan military officer. He is chiefly known for his role in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.

History and career

Bagosora was born in Giciye commune, Gisenyi préfecture, in Rwanda, of Hutu ethnicity. In 1964, he graduated from the École des officiers in Kigali with the rank of 2nd lieutenant, and continued his studies in France. During his military career he served as second-in-command of the École supérieure militaire in Kigali and as commander of Kanombe military camp.

He was appointed to the position of directeur du cabinet in Rwanda's Ministry of Defence in June 1992. Despite his official retirement from the military on 23 September 1993, he retained this portfolio until fleeing the country in July of 1994.

Role in the genocide

Bagosora was one of the chief figures in the provisional government that formed after President Habyarimana was killed in a plane crash early 1994. He is accused by many, notably UN commander Roméo Dallaire, of having masterminded, with a group of likeminded Hutu extremist military officers, the logistics of the genocide against Tutsis and Hutu moderates.

Bagosora was detained with André Ntagerura, in Yaounde, Cameroon. In 1997, he first appeared before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania, to face accusations of twelve different international crimes, based on the laws of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The joint trial with three other senior military officers charged as co-conspirators opened on April 2, 2002 and is continuing into 2005.

External link

• Théoneste Bagosora - ICTR