A high court in Rwanda has acquitted a former teacher who had been accused of committing crimes against humanity during the 1994 genocide.

Wenceslas Twagirayezu was alleged to have played a role in the killings of thousands of Tutsis in the present-day Rubavu District.

The High Court Chamber of International and Transnational Crimes freed Mr Twagirayezu after several witness testimonies placed him in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo during the time he is alleged to have orchestrated the killings.

The 56-year-old had been extradited from Denmark in 2018 at the request of Rwandan authorities.

The prosecution, which was pushing for a life sentence, has said it was not satisfied with the ruling and would appeal against it.