US man accused in Rwandan genocide faces trial
An 84-year-old accused of participating in the 1994 Rwandan genocide is headed to trial in an immigration case officials say is the first of its kind in the US. The case, which hinges on whether Lazare Kobagaya committed atrocities in Rwanda and therefore lied when he told US immigration authorities that he had never committed a crime, is the first criminal prosecution in the United States requiring proof of genocide, according to the US Justice Department.
Kobagaya is charged with unlawfully obtaining US citizenship in 2006 and with fraud and misuse of an alien registration card. Kobagaya denies committing acts of genocide, and defense attorneys say they plan to call more than 20 witnesses from around the world, along with family members, to testify on his behalf. (AP)
