A REBEL soldier has pleaded not guilty to murdering eight tourists and a game warden in Uganda in 1999.
Martin Friend, of Sandhurst Road, Orpington, was one of the victims.
The 24-year-old was in a group of 15 people tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park when they were abducted by Rwandan Hutu rebels.
Gary Tappenden, 28, from Bromley, was also captured by the rebels but later released.
Jean Paul Bizimana, aged 30, also known as Xavier Van Dame, allegedly led the Rwandan rebels.
He was allegedly a member of the Liberation Army of Rwanda (Alir), formed by militias responsible for the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.
Bizimana could face the death penalty if he is found guilty.
He has been charged with nine counts of murder at the trial being held in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.
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