Eugene N sentenced to life for firing grenade during Rwanda genocide

The Dutch District Court in The Hague has imposed a life sentence on 66‑year‑old Eugene N, a Dutch‑Rwandan who, according to the judge, acted with genocidal intent during the 1994 massacre in Rwanda.

N was found guilty of war crimes and genocide after reportedly throwing a hand grenade into a crowd of Tutsis who were trying to escape violence in the stadium in Mbazi, southern Rwanda. The court described him as a high‑ranking local administrator overseeing about 1,000 people, and noted that he ordered Hutu supporters to prevent any Tutsis from fleeing.

Rwanda sought N’s extradition in 2014, but Dutch authorities launched an internal probe in 2020 after he had acquired Dutch citizenship.

During the 100‑day genocidal period in April 1994, an estimated 800,000 people—including ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus—were slaughtered. The court said N’s actions fit the definition of genocide under international law.

He was arrested in 2024 following more than 30 witnesses being interviewed by Dutch investigators. N denied the charges, claiming he was himself a victim of the killings. His lawyers described him as “a broken man” and expected an appeal, though the court noted that he had previously been acquitted of incitement to genocide.

The judge in The Hague stated that only a lifelong prison term could address the immense suffering inflicted on victims and their families.