The National Public Prosecution has dropped charges against 13 people who were suspects of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis. According to a statement signed by Prosecutor General Jean Bosco Mutangana, all the suspects live abroad and the decision to drop their cases was informed by article 44 of the Code of Criminal procedures. The 4th paragraph of the article stipulates that the prosecution can “close the file if elements of the offence are incomplete or the identity of the suspect is unknown or prosecution is not necessary. “The decision to close the file is an administrative measure which can in no way prevent the resumption of investigation if the Public Prosecution finds new incriminating evidence provided the prescriptive period of the criminal action has not yet expired,” reads part of the law. “After analyzing the outcome from an investigation on some cases, the national prosecution has decided to stop the investigations on Genocide crime as charged to the named individuals,” says the statement. According reliable sources from prosecution, this could have been triggered by the failure by prosecutors to get enough prosecutable information about these former suspected fugitives. They include, Maurice Ntahobari, a former speaker of parliament who was the Rector of Rwandas National University of Rwanda at the time of the Genocide. He is a husband to Pauline Nyiramasuko who along with their son Arsène Shalom Ntahobali are serving 47 year-imprisonment handed to them by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) after being found guilty of Genocide. Nyiramasuhuko, who was the minister for Family Welfare and the Advancement of Women during the Genocide, was the only woman to be charged and sentenced by the UN court. Another relative, Beatrice Munyeyezi is currently serving a 10-year sentence in the United States where she was convicted for immigration fraud, having lied about her role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi the time she was applying for US citizenship. She was also stripped of that citizenship. Maurice Ntahobali lives in Belgium, according to the document from prosecution. Other suspects whose prosecution has been stopped include Enos Gakindi who lives in Canada, Normand Kayumba (USA), Stanislas Kinyonyi (Cameroon), Placide Ngendahayo (Belgium). They also include, Francois Harerimana who lives in Belgium, Maj. Juvenal Murangira in Norway, Sylvestre Ntambiye (Belgium), Jean Berchmas Turikubwigenge who lives in Italy, Joseph Jabo in the USA Theresphore Bizimungu (France), Immaculée Nyiramujyambere and Vedaste Banguwihantiyumva who both live in Denmark. Prosecution has indicted nearly 1,000 Genocide suspects living in different countries around the world and has been calling for them to either be extradited or prosecuted in the countries where they reside.
