United Nations Radio

A former Rwandan Minister of Planning today pleaded not guilty to ten counts of genocide and serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Augustin Ngirabatware who made his initial appearance at the UN tribunal for Rwanda based in Arusha, Tanzania, is accused of conspiring with others to work out a plan to exterminate Tutsis and moderate Hutus during the 1994 massacres.

The Prosecution stated that the plan included the training of and distribution of weapons to militiamen.

The former minister is also alleged to have participated in preparing lists of people to be eliminated.

Mr. Ngirabatware was arrested in Frankfurt, Germany on 17 September 2007 and transferred to the UN Detention Facility in Arusha on 8 October 2008.

This is Dianne Penn for United Nations Radio.

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