During his trial, Simbikangwa claimed his innocence, saying he had never seen any victims' bodies during the massacres. Pascal Simbikangwa was found guilty of genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity in a landmark 2014 trial that marked a turning point in France's approach to genocide suspects living on its soil. She said the proceedings had been treated as a wider trial on the genocide that left more than 800,000 people dead, "rather than the trial of Mr Simbikangwa" alone. Lawyers for the five activist groups that were civil parties in the case meanwhile left the courtroom to applause from supporters. Simbikangwa caused a sensation at his trial by declaring he had never seen any victims' bodies during the massacres.

Source: The Local December 04, 2016 10:20 UTC