Trial Chamber terminates proceedings against Felicien Kabuga following the accused’s sudden death in the Hague
The Presiding Judge, Justice lain Bonomy instructed the Registrar, Abubacarr M. Tambadou, to file a copy of Mr. Felicien Kabuga's death certificate on the record as soon as practicable after its receipt.
Black News 
The trial chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals has officially announced its decision to terminate all the case proceedings against Mr. Felicien Kabuga.
Kabuga, who passed away on the 16th of May 2026, was being accused of being involved in the 1994 Genocide which resulted in the deaths of over 1 million people in Rwanda.
The Presiding Judge, Justice lain Bonomy instructed the Registrar, Abubacarr M. Tambadou, to file a copy of Mr. Felicien Kabuga’s death certificate on the record as soon as practicable after its receipt.
The trial chamber explained that the death of Mr. Kabuga necessarily results in the termination of the proceedings against him.
Considering that all protective measures ordered in these proceedings shall continue to have effect unless and until they are rescinded, varied, or augmented in accordance with the procedures.
The initial indictment against Mr. Felicien Kabuga was filed on 26 November 1997, while the amended indictments filed on 1 October 2004 and 14 April 2011 and the operative indictment filed on 1 March 2021.
The UN Mechanism was charging Kabuga with crimes of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, persecution on political grounds as a crime against humanity, extermination as a crime against humanity, and murder as a crime against humanity.
However, the proceedings against Mr. Kabuga were indefinitely stayed in September 2023 following the’ affirmation of the Trial Chamber’s decision that the accused, Mr. Kabuga Was not fit to stand trial and very unlikely to regain fitness.
Kabuga had since then remained in detention at the United Nations Detention Unit (UNDU) in The Hague, the Netherlands, pending the resolution of the issue of his provisional release, with a medical monitoring regime, in accordance with Rules 59, 67, and 68(A) of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
Following the Appeals Chamber’s instruction to maintain jurisdiction in this case, the Trial Chamber has been expeditiously addressing the Issue of Kabuga’s detention, as well as the appropriate modalities and conditions for his release.
But on Saturday, 16 May 2026, the Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals informed the Trial Chamber that Mr. Kabuga passed away earlier that day while in custody at the United Nations Detention Unit.
Later the President of the Mechanism ordered an internal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Kabuga, pursuant to Rule 50(3) of the rules of Detention, and assigned Judge Alphons Orie to conduct that inquiry and to report the findings to the President as soon as is reasonably possible.
The late Kabuga was being represented by his counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Altit.
