Augustin Bizimungu

File:Augustin Bizimungu.jpg

File:Rwanda genocide wanted poster 2-20-03.jpg

The Rwandan Genocide wanted poster from left to right (top row): Felicien Kabuga, Augustin Bizimana, Jean-Baptiste Gatete, Augustin Bizimungu, Tharcisse Renzaho. (bottom row left to right): Idelphonse Hategekimana, Augustin Ngirabatware, Idelphonse Nizeyimana, Protais Mpiranya, Callixte Nzabonimana

Augustin Bizimungu (August 28th, 1952 - ) was a Rwandan army general.Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR). In 1994, he briefly served as chief of staff of the army. During this time, he trained the soldiers and guerrillas who carried out the Rwandan Genocide.

Biography

Bizimungu was born in Byumba préfecture, Mukaranje Commune, Mugina Secteur, Nyange Cellule, Rwanda.

An ethnic Hutu, Bizimungu held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the FAR on 6 April 1994. That day, following the death of army chief of staff Déogratias Nsabimana in a plane crash alongside President Juvénal Habyarimana, Bizimungu was promoted to Major-General and appointed as permanent chief of the army.

Upon fleeing the country following the RPF victory, he allegedly said "the RPF will rule over a desert."

On 12 April 2002, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) issued an arrest warrant for Bizimungu, who was apparently working with the Angolan rebel movement UNITA. In August 2002, he was arrested by the Angolan government and taken to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal in Tanzania. The trial adjourned until September 2008, whereupon Bizimungu was tried along with fellow FAR officers Augustin Ndindiliyimana (Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie), François-Xavier Nzuwonemeye (Commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion of the Rwandan Army) and Innocent Sagahutu (Second-in-Command of the Reconnaissance Battalion of the Rwandan Army). Bizimungu was sentenced to thirty years in prison for his part in the genocide on 17 May 2011.

Bizimungu is portrayed by Fana Mokoena in the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.