Rwanda genocide death sentences

Barayagwiza is accused of inciting genocide

A court in Rwanda has sentenced eight people to death and 14 people to prison for their role in the 1994 genocide in which up to 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered.

State-run Rwandan radio said a court in the south-western commune of Cynangugu acquitted six other people of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Those sentenced to death included the former mayor of Gisuma, Theoneste Rukeratabar, and a school inspector.

The radio said that of those receiving prison terms, seven were jailed for life, three received 20-year terms, two 15-year terms and two 11-year sentences.

This comes a day after a United Nations tribunal set up to try Rwandan suspects announced it would retry a key suspect of the genocide, despite his acquittal last November on a technicality.

Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, one of the founders of the extremist Hutu radio station blamed for inflaming ethnic hatred, was rearrested after the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda asked for his acquittal to be reviewed.

Rwanda began a week of mourning on Saturday for victims of the genocide.