MONTREAL – Prosecutors want a life sentence for Canada’s first war crimes convict.
Crown lawyer Pascale Ledoux says Desire Munyaneza should spend the maximum amount of time behind bars.
Munyaneza was found guilty of seven war crimes committed during one of history’s worst atrocities – the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The Crown says aggravating factors in the case warrant a stiff sentence, and made its case during a sentencing hearing that wrapped up today.
Lawyers are debating parole eligibility on some of the convictions, with the Crown asking for life sentences without possibilty of parole on three of the seven charges.
Justice Andre Denis is to hand down a sentence on Oct. 29.
His verdict in May made Munyaneza the first person to be convicted under Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, enacted in 2000.
The defence is appealing the verdict.
