Rwanda requests extradition of US-based Genocide suspect

KIGALI - Rwanda has expressed interest in having Benoit Kabayiza, 39, a Genocide fugitive currently living in the United State, extradited and tried in Rwanda despite having obtained American citizenship. The head of the Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit, John Bosco Mutangana, said that Kabayiza should be tried where his alleged crimes were committed. “Although he is now a US citizen, he committed the crimes in Rwanda when he was still in the country by the time of Genocide. But even if he is not extradited, we believe a competent court in the US will try him,” said Mutangana. Kabayiza is charged with genocide, complicity to commit genocide, conspiracy to murder, creation of and associating with a criminal gang. According to the charge sheet, Kabayiza is accused of having stabbed to death an eight-year old child. He is also accused of raping and brutally murdering female students of the National University of Rwanda. The suspect is the son of Dominique Ntawukuriryayo who is currently at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to answer crimes of Genocide. During the genocide, Kabayiza is said to have worked closely with his father who was then the Sous-prefet (deputy Governor) of Gisagara in the Southern Province. He is also alleged to have supplied weapons, mounted roadblocks and sensitized Interahamwe to kill Tutsis. He was also close to Desire Munyaneza and Shalom Ntahobali in exterminating Tutsi in Butare. Munyaneza was found guilty of Genocide by a Canadian and awaits sentencing, while Ntahobali is at the ICTR where he faces the same charges together with his mother, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko. Ends