A former Rwanadan rebel leader who faced charges of war crimes, has been freed by the International Criminal Court due to a lack of evidence.
Callixte Mbarushimana, leader of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (known by their French acronym, FDLR) stood accused of 13 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009.
The judges at the ICC said that "there was not sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds" that Mbarushimana was criminally responsible for the crimes.
The ICC Chief Prosecutor’s office however said that they would appeal the decision, which comes after a two-year investigation into the case.
The FDLR is also accused of playing a major role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where 800,000 ethnic Tutsis were killed. It is alleged they then fled to the Congo, where prosecutors accused them of 384 civilian deaths between February and October 2009, as well as 135 cases of sexual violence, 521 abductions, 38 cases of torture and five of mutilation.
Mbarushimana was accused of planning these attacks from his residence in Paris.
It is only the second time that the ICC have released a suspect without charge, who has been brought before the court, the first being Sudanese rebel leader Abu Garda in February 2010.
Callixte Mbarushimana, leader of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (known by their French acronym, FDLR) stood accused of 13 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009.
The judges at the ICC said that "there was not sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds" that Mbarushimana was criminally responsible for the crimes.
The ICC Chief Prosecutor’s office however said that they would appeal the decision, which comes after a two-year investigation into the case.
The FDLR is also accused of playing a major role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where 800,000 ethnic Tutsis were killed. It is alleged they then fled to the Congo, where prosecutors accused them of 384 civilian deaths between February and October 2009, as well as 135 cases of sexual violence, 521 abductions, 38 cases of torture and five of mutilation.
Mbarushimana was accused of planning these attacks from his residence in Paris.
It is only the second time that the ICC have released a suspect without charge, who has been brought before the court, the first being Sudanese rebel leader Abu Garda in February 2010.
