An international court yesterday convicted the former prime minister of Rwanda, Jean Kambanda, of six counts of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Kambanda, head of a hardline "Hutu power" government during Rwanda's 1994 civil war, had pleaded guilty, with each plea causing a stir in the packed public gallery on the other side of the bulletproof glass.
Kambanda (43), wearing a navy-blue suit and sporting a beard, pleaded in French in a strong voice, the private Swiss-based Hirondelle news agency reported.
His pleas - the first guilty pleas before the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) in this northern Tanzanian town - open the way for him to give evidence against some of the 22 other alleged ringleaders of the genocide.
Replying to questions from the presiding judge, tribunal president Laity Kama of Senegal, Kambana affirmed that his guilty pleas had been made "consciously and voluntarily", and that he "clearly understood the consequences". Mr Kama then asked him to confirm that his pleas were not "equivocal", and that he understood that he could no longer raise any means of defence.
In reply, Kambanda said: "My plea is not equivocal. I have understood."
Kama then pronounced him guilty as charged, reaching the court's first verdict since it was set up in November 1994. Kambanda will next face a sentencing hearing.
The court, established after Hutu extremists had slaughtered between 500,000 and 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the spring of that year, has the power to impose sentences of up to life in prison. So far, however, no country has offered its prisons - which must meet UN standards - to house those sentenced.
The ICT has come under harsh criticism for being dilatory, and the United Nations SecretaryGeneral, Mr Kofi Annan, who will visit the court next week during a tour of eight African nations, reshuffled its staff last year after complaints of inefficiency.
Since Kambanda's pleas were contained in a sealed agreement with the prosecution, no disclosure of the evidence will be made, experts said. The charge sheet, dated October 17th, 1997, accused Kambanda of genocide, conspiracy, incitement and involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity.
Until recently he had refused legal counsel, saying that he would defend himself. In March this year, however, Kambanda decided to accept the counsel of a Cameroonian lawyer, Mr Michael Oliver Ingliss, which suggested he might testify in future against other accused.