Gov’t dismisses Mozambique media reports on fugitives

KIGALI - The Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga has dismissed media reports that appeared in a Mozambican tabloid (Escorpiao) recently insinuating that government wants the Rwandan community living in Mozambique answerable for Genocide crimes. The tabloid wrote in a three page article that Rwanda’s move to have Genocide fugitives apprehended is politically motivated and that there is no ‘concrete factual evidence’ to prove that the accused committed the atrocities. But Ngoga said in an interview yesterday that only nine Rwandans living in Mozambique had been indicted, and that there is evidence pinning the individuals for serious crimes of Genocide and crimes against humanity. “These individuals should not hide behind and seek collective defence. There are innocent Rwandans in Mozambique and these are not subject of our pursuit.” “Those who are there for good reasons and have no criminal record are not subject of our operations and they indeed have our support,” Ngoga said. Prosecution last month listed Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia as some of the African countries that have rendered little cooperation towards arresting and trying or extraditing indicted fugitives responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The media reports came a week after a visit to Rwanda by the Mozambican minister of justice who said that her country would act on fugitives residing in the Southern Africa nation. The Prosecutor General said that the matter is being handled by relevant authorities of both countries, adding that any procedural issues arising will be resolved along the way. “After all, this is not the first time we identified and pursued fugitives in foreign countries,” he said. The hunt for those responsible for executing the Genocide into which over a million people dead is still met by inaction from different African countries. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has consistently said that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) still plays host to the biggest number of the most wanted Genocide fugitives. Ends

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Gov’t dismisses Mozambique media reports on fugitives