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February 21. 2013 2:10PM
CONCORD - Beatrice Munyenyezi was found guilty today of lying about her role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide to gain U.S. citizenship.
Munyenyezi, 43 , wept when the two guilty verdicts were read aloud in U.S. District Court. Jurors deliberated at least four hours.
Judge Steven McAuliffe immediately revoked Munyenyezi's citizenship and turned her over to the custody of deputy U.S. Marshals.
Sentencing will be June 3.
Previous story follows:
CONCORD - Jurors will begin deliberating today whether a Manchester woman lied about her role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide to illegally gain U.S. citizenship.
"In the end, the determination of facts in this case rests solely with you," U.S. District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe instructed jurors Wednesday on the eleventh day of the retrial of Beatrice Munyenyezi, 43.
Munyenyezi, a 43-old mother of three daughters, faces a two-count indictment charging her with making false statements when she applied for U.S. citizenship in 2002-2003 and with illegally obtaining U.S. citizenship.
Munyenyezi, who is being tried in the same courthouse where she became a U.S. citizen in 2003, did not testify at trial. She said she is innocent.
Federal prosecutors claim Munyeyezi was a member of the ruling ethnic Hutu party and a ring leader of its extremist youth militia. As such, they allege she oversaw killings and rapes of mostly ethnic Tutsis from a roadblock she worked outside the hotel her husband's family owned in the Butare province of Rwanda - all of which would make her ineligible for U.S. citizenship.
An estimated 800,000 people were killed in the three-month period known as the Rwandan genocide.
Munyenyezi's first trial ended in mistrial last March after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict on the two counts of unlawfully procuring citizenship.
Many witnesses are Rwandan citizens who testified through interpreters. Others were government agents and experts.
Attorneys gave closing arguments Wednesday. McAuliffe later instructed the jury.
Jurors find Manchester woman guilty of lying about her role in Rwandan genocide
Munyenyezi, 43 , wept when the two guilty verdicts were read aloud in U.S. District Court. Jurors deliberated at least four hours.
Judge Steven McAuliffe immediately revoked Munyenyezi's citizenship and turned her over to the custody of deputy U.S. Marshals.
Sentencing will be June 3.
"In the end, the determination of facts in this case rests solely with you," U.S. District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe instructed jurors Wednesday on the eleventh day of the retrial of Beatrice Munyenyezi, 43.
Munyenyezi, a 43-old mother of three daughters, faces a two-count indictment charging her with making false statements when she applied for U.S. citizenship in 2002-2003 and with illegally obtaining U.S. citizenship.
Munyenyezi, who is being tried in the same courthouse where she became a U.S. citizen in 2003, did not testify at trial. She said she is innocent.
Federal prosecutors claim Munyeyezi was a member of the ruling ethnic Hutu party and a ring leader of its extremist youth militia. As such, they allege she oversaw killings and rapes of mostly ethnic Tutsis from a roadblock she worked outside the hotel her husband's family owned in the Butare province of Rwanda - all of which would make her ineligible for U.S. citizenship.
An estimated 800,000 people were killed in the three-month period known as the Rwandan genocide.
Munyenyezi's first trial ended in mistrial last March after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict on the two counts of unlawfully procuring citizenship.
Many witnesses are Rwandan citizens who testified through interpreters. Others were government agents and experts.
Attorneys gave closing arguments Wednesday. McAuliffe later instructed the jury.
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