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Prosecutor seeks transfer of Kabuga to UN custody

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Felicien Kabuga, indicted on charges of genocide related to the 1994 Rwandan massacre of some 800,000 people, appeared before a French court on Wednesday, four days after his arrest following a quarter of a century on the run.

In his first appearance in public in more than 20 years, the octogenarian was brought into the court in a wheelchair, dressed in jeans and a blue jumper and wearing a face mask.

Kabuga is accused of bankrolling and arming the ethnic Hutu militias that waged the 100-day killing spree against Rwanda’s Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Rwanda’s most wanted fugitive, he was arrested on Saturday in a Paris suburb.

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His lawyers said in a statement before the hearing that Kabuga had the right to be presumed innocent and opposed being transferred from France to a United Nations (UN) tribunal that handles crimes against humanity based in Tanzania.

Defence lawyer Laurent Bayon told the court Kabuga wished to be tried in France.

The court will decide whether to hand Kabuga to the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCTs). The international court is based in The Hague, the Netherlands and Arusha, Tanzania.

The IRMCT’s chief prosecutor told Reuters news agency the court had already requested Kabuga be transferred to UN custody.

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Kabuga’s voice was weak, but audible, as he confirmed through an interpreter his identity and parents’ names. He gave his date of birth as March 1, 1933.

Kabuga’s arrest marked the end of a more than 20 years long hunt that spanned Africa and Europe.

A one-time tea and coffee tycoon, he is accused of being a main financier of the genocide, paying for the militias that carried out the massacres, as well as importing huge numbers of machetes, according to the UN tribunal’s indictment.

He also co-owned Radio Television Milles Collines, whose radio station broadcast anti-Tutsi messages that fanned the ethnic hatred.

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The United States had placed a $5m reward on his head.

The French court granted a request by the defence to defer the hearing and set the next date for May 27.

Exiting the courtroom, Kabuga raised his fist as several relatives including one son voiced encouragement. -Aljazeera

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Hopeson Adorye invites Ghanaians to join new United Party

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A leading member of the newly rebranded United Party, also known as UP, Hopeson Adorye, has called on Ghanaians who feel dejected or oppressed in politics to join the new party, describing it as a better political home for all.

He made these remarks at the launch and rebranding of the Movement for Change into the United Party (UP) at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra on Thursday, October 16.

Mr. Adorye explained that the party was fully ready to serve as an alternative political force to address Ghana’s challenges.

He noted that the UP leadership was focused and determined to change the country’s political structure and bring meaningful transformation.

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He stated that the party’s vision was to build a united Ghana, stressing that without unity, the nation could not make real progress.

According to him, the mission of the UP was to create a prosperous country where every citizen could provide for themselves and their families.

Mr. Adorye emphasised that the new party was not formed to destroy any existing political organization but to contest and win elections to bring about the needed change.

He expressed confidence that many Ghanaians from different political backgrounds, including those dissatisfied with their current parties, would join UP+ because of its values and inclusive ideology.

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He added that the party was building its structures from the grassroots and hoped to complete them by the end of the year as part of efforts to strengthen its national presence.

The Founder of the United Party (UP), Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, also addressed the gathering and reflected on the transformation of the Movement for Change into the UP+.

He explained that the rebranding marked a new phase of political renewal, symbolized by the monarch butterfly in the party’s logo, which represents transformation, resilience, and endurance.

Mr. Kyerematen noted that the colors of the party yellow, black, and white stood for Ghana’s gold resources, the black star of Africa, and purity, respectively.

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He stated that the UP stands for ethical leadership, integrity, and unity, adding that many of its members entered politics to serve the nation, not for personal gain.

He revealed that the party’s Great Transformational Plan (GTP), which has received global recognition, would guide the UP+ government when elected.

“The plan is designed to stabilize the economy, reduce the national debt, and promote industrial growth through ten strategic anchor industries” he added.

He explained that the health policy would emphasize preventive care, community-based services, and the inclusion of traditional and herbal medicine, which many Ghanaians rely on.

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Mr. Kyerematen further stated that the UP would promote a strong Pan African agenda, explaining that Ghana’s prosperity must be tied to the wellbeing of the entire continent.

He noted that the party believes in Ghana first, and its policies were anchored on uniting the country and restoring hope in national development.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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Dr. Bawumia urges NPP members to rally behind his flagbearership bid

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Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has appealed to the rank and file of the party to rally behind him as he prepares to lead the party in the 2028 elections.

Addressing delegates in Sene East during his campaign tour, he highlighted key contributions to the party.

He revealed that at the behest of former president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he left his job at the Bank of Ghana to work for the NPP.

According to him, many asked him to rescind the decision. However, because of his loyalty to the party, he resigned from the bank to be their running mate.

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He added that at the African Development Bank, he resigned in 2012 just to serve the party at the highest level.

“I defended the party in 2012. We lost, but I stayed in Ghana to put pressure on John Dramani Mahama and the NDC,” he added.

He is therefore urging the party to choose continuity and to back his leadership.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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