Augustin Bizimungu (born 28 August 1952) is a Rwandan convicted war criminal and former military officer. On 16 April 1994, following the outbreak of the Rwandan genocide, he was appointed chief of staff of the army and promoted to the rank of major general. In 2011, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the Rwandan genocide.
Biography
Bizimungu was born in Byumba préfecture, Mukarange Commune, Mugina Secteur, Nyange Cellule, Rwanda.
Upon fleeing the country following the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) victory, he reportedly declared that "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 RGF 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.