News
French court rejects request to release Rwandan genocide suspect
A French court has rejected a request to release Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga under court supervision.
The court on Wednesday denied his lawyer’s argument that Kabuga should be released on bail because of poor health, saying continued detention ensured he would not abscond. Kabuga can appeal the decision.
The genocide suspect, meanwhile, told the court the international charges against him were “lies”.
Kabuga, who was arrested near Paris earlier this month after more than 20 years on the run, is accused of financing and arming the ethnic Hutu militias that slaughtered some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus in 1994.
The one-time tea and coffee tycoon was seated in a wheelchair at the front of the court, with his hands folded in his lap, wearing a blue shirt and dark blue trousers as well as a face mask.
Asked if he understood the charges made by a United Nations tribunal, Kabuga told the court through an interpreter: “All of this is lies. I have not killed any Tutsis. I was working with them.”
He confirmed his identity saying he was born in 1933, rather than 1935 as stated in court documents.
“It’s a major arrest but of course we must respect the presumption of innocence,” Etienne Nsanzimana, a Rwanda genocide survivor, told Al Jazeera.
“He was one of the main figures of the old Rwanda and he was wanted on several charges – so it’s a huge relief he has been caught.”
According to an indictment from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Kabuga chaired the notorious Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) and used it to incite hatred between Hutus and Tutsis.
The indictment alleges RTLM “incited the commission of genocide through broadcasts that expressly identified persons as Tutsis, provided their locations, described them as the enemy, and called for their elimination”.
Kabuga also agreed with others to create and fund a militia in the capital, Kigali, with the aim of stirring up ethnic hatred and committing genocide against Tutsis, according to the indictment.
Should the Paris Court of Appeal approve Kabuga’s extradition, it will order him to be handed over to the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
– AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
News
National Service Authority gets new Director-General
The National Service Authority (NSA) has officially welcomed a new Director-General, Ms. Ruth Dela Seddoh, following a brief handing-over ceremony at its headquarters on Tuesday.
The event marked the formal transfer of leadership from the outgoing Director-General, Mr. Felix Gyamfi, to Ms. Seddoh. Management and staff of the Authority attended the ceremony.
Mr. Gyamfi used the occasion to thank staff for their support during his tenure.
He encouraged them to give the same cooperation to Ms. Seddoh to ensure the continued growth and impact of the Authority.
Ms. Seddoh expressed appreciation to government for the confidence placed in her.
She promised to build on the achievements of her predecessor and called for teamwork, dedication and innovation to help the NSA deliver on its mandate to support national development.
Management of the Authority pledged their full support to the new leadership as the organisation enters its next phase.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NSA board sets up committee to supervise digital reforms
The Governing Board of the National Service Authority (NSA) has announced the inauguration of a Transition and Implementation Steering Committee (TISC) to oversee the Authority’s digital transformation agenda.
According to the Board, the move follows a letter dated 17 June 2025 from the Office of the President to the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment directing the suspension of the existing deployment system, calling for an audit of its operations and instructing the design and deployment of a new digital platform.
The Board explained that the audit had been completed and had found the existing system unsatisfactory.
It indicated that the Minister had written to the Board to begin the necessary legal processes to ensure the contract for the audited system, which expired in August 2025, would not be renewed, and to take further steps toward designing and deploying a new digital platform that would guarantee transparency, security and real-time verification of service personnel postings.
It stressed that the TISC had been established to ensure a smooth and orderly transition from the current National Service Scheme digital platform to a new ICT-led system aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
The Authority outlined the Committee’s mandate as overseeing the phased migration from the legacy system, directing the design and deployment of a modern digital platform, and supervising its operationalisation across core functions including personnel enrolment, postings, payroll, allowances and scheme administration.
It further noted that acting under the directives of the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment and deriving authority from the NSA Board, the TISC has the power to issue instructions to NSA departments and engage external partners necessary to achieve its mandate through the Governing Board.
The Authority named Dr. Wisdom Atiwoto, a member of the NSA Board and Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management at the Ministry of Health, as chair of the Committee.
Other members include Ms. Ruth Dela Seddoh, Mr. Shadrack Mensah, Ms. Elorm Goh, Mr. Benjamin Freeman Kusi, Ms. Jennifer Opong, Dr. Stephan Nwolley, Mr. Koku Abotsi, Mr. Japhet Kuntu, Mr. Nabil Abubakar Hussayn and Ms. Regina Obenewa Penrose as Secretary.
The NSA Board assured the public and stakeholders of its commitment to innovation, accountability and excellence in service delivery.
It emphasised that there would be no disruption in the fulfilment of its obligations to national service personnel as outlined in the National Service Act, Act 1119 (2024), and indicated that updates on the Committee’s progress would be communicated in due course.
With the collective expertise of its members, the TISC is expected to deliver a robust and future-ready platform that will anchor the next phase of the National Service Scheme’s operations.
By: Jacob Aggrey
