President Juvénal Habyarimana, associate, Protais Zigiranyirazo, who was acquitted by Arusha Court, dies in Niger
The Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Abubacarr Tambadou has confirmed the death of former convict of Rwanda Genocide, Protais Zigiranyirazo.
And for the first time, Zigiranyirazo, aged 87, who was always thought to be living in the Kenyan Capital City of Nairobi, is revealed to have been actually a resident of Nigeria where he retired and led a quiet life.
“Pursuant to Rule 31(B) of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, I respectfully file this submission to inform the Single Judge of the passing of Mr. Protais Zigiranyirazo on 3 August 2025 at approximately 9 p.m.,” an official statement from Registrar Tabadou divulged.
According to the UN Tribunal Mechanism Registrar, Zigiranyirazo died at his residence in Niamey, in the Republic of Niger.
“It should be recalled that Mr. Zigiranyirazo was on admission at the Hôpital Général de Référence in Niamey between 15 and 29 July 2025. A copy of Mr Protais Zigiranyirazo’s death certificate received on 6 August 2025 from his family is annexed to this submission.1,” reads the dispatch from the UN Mechanism for Tribunals.
The late Protais Zigiranyirazo, who was commonly known as ‘Monsieur Zed,’ used to be a poweful and influential Rwandan businessman and politician.
He once served as governor of the Ruhengeri prefecture in north-western Rwanda from 1974 to 1989.
An ethnic Hutu, Zigiranyirazo was the brother-in-law of President Juvénal Habyarimana, who came to power in Rwanda in the Coup d’état of 5 July 1973.
Zigiranyirazo was a member of the Akazu, an elite circle of relatives and friends of the former President Juvénal Habyarimana who pushed the Hutu Power ideology.
Zigiranyirazo was well-connected to the Hutu establishment of politicians, businessmen, and military officers which thereafter controlled the country.
Monsieur Zed would later be accused of war crimes during the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
After his arrest in 2001, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) apparently accused Zigiranyirazo of committing crimes during the months of the genocide in 1994. He was convicted.
On 16 November 2009, the conviction was overturned by the Appeal Chamber of the ICTR, which acquitted Zigiranyirazo on all charges, finding that the court had made serious errors in its initial judgement, and ordering his immediate release.
He was ultimately acquitted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, after spending six years in prison.