Countries still dragging feet in tracking Genocide fugitives

The Head of the Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit (GFTU) John Bosco Siboyintore has said that lack of Political will in countries like France is one of the reasons impending the arrest of eight remaining high profile most wanted fugitives. Explaining why the Genocide fugitives are hard to track and arrest, Siboyintore, said that Felicien Kabuga, Augustin Bizimana, Protais Mpiranya, Fulgence Kayishema, Charles Sikubwabo, Pheneas Munyarugarama, Aloys Ndimbati and Charles Ryandikayo were the most wanted fugitives.” The eight are subject to a US Department of State bounty of up to $5 million for information leading to their arrest. He told matters worsened by the fact that the suspects usually change names and location. “Some of the challenges faced in the course of tracking them include lack of political will by some countries, lack of awareness of the Genocide that took place here, committed against the Tutsi; and inadequate information on the whereabouts of the fugitives, Siboyintore said. “Many change identities, nationalities and their residential addresses often. Consider the case, for example, of the man we recently arrested in Kigali but who had assumed Tanzanian citizenship and changed names yet he was wanted,” he noted. Last month, Police in Kigali arrested a man wanted for his role in the 1994 Genocide who was in the country masquerading as a Tanzanian national. Hussein Minani, 48, wanted for genocide, extermination as a crime against humanity, murder and rape during the Genocide, acquired Tanzanian citizenship under the alias, Hussein Abdul Kitumba Mujandi, and frequented Kigali bringing new imported vehicles from the Port of Dar es Salaam. Prosecutor General, Richard Muhumuza, said: “It is not an easy task really but we do our best. We don’t stop. Even in countries that are collaborating, people have other everyday tasks of their own to carry out and don’t have enough time to devout to chasing these people. “In addition, when we alert them about the possibility of a criminal in their country they ask us for names and where exactly he or she is. Imagine what now happens when the fugitive moves from location to another while evading security. It is difficult.” Other obstacles, Siboyintore said, include lack of extradition treaties and legal frameworks with some countries; suspects lying that they are being sought for political persecution, and the impossible conditions of identifiers such as DNA profiles, fingerprints, photos, and others, as usually “demanded by Interpol in order to publish red notices against them.” Since the creation of GFTU’s in 2007, about 605 indictments and international arrest warrants have been issued against Genocide Suspects in 32 countries in Africa, Europe, North America, Canada and New Zealand. No suspect has ever been located in Asia. The top 10 countries identified with large numbers of fugitives are Uganda with 147, DR Congo with 145, FRANCE with 39, Belgium 37, Malawi 32, the USA 22, Kenya 21, Netherlands 18, Tanzania 13 and Burundi with 13. Siboyintore noted that they have registered some Case Laws that affirm fair trials within Rwanda’s Judiciary. A case in point is that of Jean Uwinkindi, a pastor who was sentenced to life in prison by the High Court last year for his role in the 1994 Genocide. Uwinkindi was the first suspect to be transferred to Rwanda by the now defunct International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) under its completion mechanism. “It was on that basis that some states sent 13 Fugitives to be tried in Rwanda,” Siboyintore said. In the past, apart from the ICTR’s three referrals, Denmark and Norway have extradited suspects to Rwanda while others such as Uganda, USA, Canada and Netherlands have deported fugitives to Rwanda. A total of 18 genocide fugitives were tried abroad, with 17 convicted, whereas one was acquitted. Pending extraditions include the case in the UK – pending an appeal – involving five suspects. The UK appeal is likely to be heard in November. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Countries still dragging feet in tracking Genocide fugitives