Southern Province — Sister Maria Hutler, a catholic nun from Butare catholic diocese on Wednesday told a community court that she witnessed soldiers 'come and take Tutsis' who had sought refuge at the Catholic premises during the 1994 Genocide, RNA reports.

Speaking in French before a Gacaca court in Huye district (Southern Province), elderly Sister Maria Hutler said she saw former Rwandan government soldiers (Ex-Far) take 'Tutsis who they killed there after'.

"I saw these soldiers at least more than thrice come and take Tutsis who had sought refugee at Procure d'accueil (Catholic diocese shelters)", said sister Maria.

Maria was testifying in a Gacaca trail where a former house-helper Ms. Niyitegeka Venancie, 33, a resident of Matyazo area of Huye and Mr. Kirenga Rafael pleaded guilty to taking part in the massacres and looting.

"I plead guilty to having taken part in the Genocide and to having looted property of Tutsis", said a hurtful looking Venancie. "I request for forgiveness from the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Rwandans, this court and most especially Genocide survivors for the wrongs I committed".

A tearfully unidentified witness narrated how Venancie who was her house-helper revealed the hiding of her husband only known as Papa Tuyishime, Mr. Karegyeya, Oliver and many others who were killed at an Army school compound - ESO.

"Venancie no longer treated me as her boss and usually kept on telling those who had come to fetch water that my husband was training the rebels (then RPF)", said the witness who wept uncontrollably.

Ms. Venancie accepted responsibility for the deaths of up to 30 Tutsis during the Genocide.

Along the trial, Sister Maria Hutler told the court that she saw both Mr. Kirenga Rafael and Ms. Mukakarangwa Hiralie in company with soldiers - a claim Hilarie refutes.

Ms. Mukakarangwa Hiralie pleaded not guilty before the Gacaca court on counts of incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide and having directly listed the number of Tutsis that were killed while seeking refugee in Groupe Scolaire de Butare, ESO, and National University of Rwanda.

Asked as to if she knew the names of those who used to escort her and as to why a civilian would be escorted by the presidential guards and soldiers, Hiralie who is a sister to Maj. Gen. Ndindiliyimana Augustin said she did not know any name of those soldiers that accompanied her usually to and from work, attracting angry murmurs from the crowd.

"Even some Hutus were killed thus I also had fear like any other Rwandans", said Muakakarangwa while responding to a question as to why she also deserved to be protected but did not reveal as to why "she was the only civilian" who was guarded in her area.

Gen. Augustin Ndindiliyimana - former Chief of Staff of the Gendarmerie Nationale - is jointly indicted with four others accused at the UN court in Tanzania with - Gen. General Bizimungu, Maj. Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye, Commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion; Capt. Innocent Sagahutu, second in command of the Reconnaissance Battalion and Maj. Protais Mpiranya, Commander of the Presidential Guard.