Former spy chief faces Rwanda genocide trial

Pascal Simbikangwa, 54, could face a life sentence if convicted after the seven-week trial – the first in France over Rwanda’s genocide.

The case has highlighted criticism of France’s own reaction to the genocide a generation ago, and its slow exercise of justice after the slaughter of at least 500,000 people in Rwanda in just over 100 days.

“We’ll do what we have done from the start, plead for a not-guilty verdict,” said defence lawyer Fabrice Epstein, claiming the facts have not fully been established.

The defendant, infirm from an accident years ago, was wheeled into the courtroom then transferred to a glassed-in area. He identified himself as “Pascal Safari”, a combination of his real name and his alias, Senyamuhara Safari.

More than 50 witnesses – including journalists, historians, farmers, security guards and intelligence officials – are expected to be called to testify, nearly all by the prosecution. Among civil parties to the case are Alain Gauthier and wife Dafroza, who lost more than 80 family members in the genocide.