Rwanda: Mechanism Pledges Full Support in Tracking Genocide Fugitives

Rwanda: Mechanism Pledges Full Support in Tracking Genocide Fugitives

Nkubito Bakuramutsa, AllAfrica Publication

21 April 2016

 

Image: In the picture, Ladislas Ntaganzwa (C) was escorted by police officers upon his arrival at Kigali airport on 20 March 2016.

 

The United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals-UNMICT has pledged its full support in tracking down 1994 genocide against Tutsis fugitives who are still at large with bounty placed on their heads.

The residual Mechanisms which takes over the activities of International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda-ICTR which wound up business in December last year says it will work with Rwanda to ensure that all the wanted fugitives are brought to justice.

“We will join our forces to make sure that our fugitive tracking teams are successful and this our number one priority,” said Serge Bremmert, newly appointed Prosecutor for the Residual Mechanism of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The Prosecutor who is in the country for official visit said on Thursday that the three fugitives topping the list of the mechanism Felicien Kabuga, Augustin Bizimana and Protais Mpiranya will be tracked down to ensure that the victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi get Justice.

“The tracking, arrest and prosecution of the remaining fugitives still wanted by the ICTR is a top priority for the Mechanism,” he added

The tribunal indicted 90 persons while eight remain at large and of these, three have been earmarked for trial by the Mechanism.
The fugitives are part of the masterminds behind the Genocide against Tutsi that claimed over one million innocent lives and were either financing, fully participating or architects of the operations.

Bremmert pledged to work closely with Rwanda’s prosecutor General to ensure that the fugitives are brought to book adding, “I want to express my very clear commitment to take this matter seriously.”

The message now comes as a relief for the government after Justice Minister Johnston Busingye on Wednesday expressed the need for the residual mechanism to fast-track the tracking of the fugitives.

The Minister said, “We need to enhance the ways to ensure that all genocide fugitives are apprehended and prosecuted or extradited.”

The Prosecutor General, Richard Muhumuza says the National Prosecution Authority has already issued 538 indictments with requests for arrests to 34 countries but has not yielded any success calling for more efforts.

© 2016 AllAfrica


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