The organisation of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has said it would pursue accountability for people who helped Félicien Kabuga evade justice for decades. Ibuka said this following Kabuga's death on Saturday, May 16, at the age of 91. This was before the conclusion of his trial by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). ALSO READ: Timeline of Félicien Kabuga's unresolved Genocide case Kabuga, a businessman accused of being among the key financiers Genocide against the Tutsi, died while under detention in The Hague, the Netherlands. The IRMCT, which said he died while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in The Hague. Kabuga was arrested in May 2020 in France after more than 25 years on the run. ALSO READ: Félicien Kabuga dies at 91 Speaking to the national broadcasterRBA, Philbert Gakwenzire, the president of Ibuka, said Kabuga’s long evasion of justice was enabled by political connections, financial resources, and a network that allowed him to move across borders. Gakwenzire said Kabuga had close ties with former president Juvénal Habyarimana, including family relations through marriage, and benefited from political protection during that period. ALSO READ: Back home or behind bars: The uncertain fate of Félicien Kabuga He said that Kabuga financially supported militias involved in the killings during the Genocide and played a leading role in the operation of RTLM, the infamous radio that spread hate speech against Tutsi. “One of the reasons he escaped justice for so long was political support. He had networks that helped him move across borders and people who protected him,” Gakwenzire said. He added that some people helped conceal Kabuga’s whereabouts and facilitated his movements using official documents, calling for investigations into those who may have obstructed justice. “Kabuga was arrested in France in 2020, but questions remain about how he reached there, who supported him, and how long he stayed there. Those who facilitated his escape and enabled him to avoid justice should also be held accountable,” he said. ALSO READ: UN court says genocide suspect Kabuga ‘unfit’ for trial Gakwenzire warned that other Genocide suspects may die before standing trial if cases continue to move slowly, citing Agathe Kanziga Habyarimana, the widow of former president Juvénal Habyarimana, among individuals who have yet to be brought to justice. According to Gakwenzire, the prosecution of Genocide suspects in France gained momentum after relations with Rwanda improved. “Kabuga died before a final judgment was reached, meaning he legally maintained the presumption of innocence despite the serious allegations against him. But history and evidence related to the Genocide remain,” he said. Gakwenzire added that Ibuka is continuing efforts to pursue what he described as “social liability” against deceased genocide suspects, while also urging for faster prosecution of fugitives who are still alive. “The struggle against impunity continues,” he said. The Rwandan Community in France also reacted to Kabuga’s death, saying it should not end efforts to pursue justice for victims of the Genocide. “The death of Félicien Kabuga must not bring an end to the pursuit of justice,” the organisation said in a statement posted on X. “Delayed justice must never mean abandoned justice. The victims deserve truth, reparations and remembrance. Those who helped him evade justice must also be held accountable for their actions.” Richard Gisagara, a Rwandan lawyer based in France, described Kabuga’s case as one of the major shortcomings of international justice. “The IRMCT has announced the death of Félicien Kabuga. He has now definitively escaped justice,” Gisagara said. “His case will remain in history as one of the greatest failures of international justice. The question now is whether justice can still make amends through compensation for victims and prosecution of those who helped him evade capture.” An arrest warrant against Kabuga was issued by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on April 29, 2013. After years as one of the world’s most wanted fugitives, he was arrested in France on May 16, 2020, and later transferred to the Hague branch of the IRMCT on October 26, 2020. His trial began on September 29, 2022. However, on September 8, 2023, judges indefinitely suspended proceedings after ruling that Kabuga was unfit to stand trial due to his health condition. At the time of his death, the IRMCT said arrangements were still being sought for his provisional release to a country willing to receive him.
