Mass murderer Kayishema finally arrested; who’s next?

Author: Samson Kasujja

• 2023-05-29 05:42:00

You can run but you cannot hide, they say. Fulgence Kayishema, one of the world’s most wanted Rwandan genocide fugitives, was arrested in Paarl, South Africa, on May 24.

Kayishema orchestrated the massacre of 2,000 Tutsi at the Nyange Catholic Church, during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda which claimed the lives of more than one million people within 100 days.

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) – established in 2010 by the UN to perform the remaining functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) following the completion of its mandate – accuses Kayishema of directly participating in the planning and execution of massacres.

Kayishema procured and distributed petrol to burn down the church with the thousands of people inside. When this failed, he used a bulldozer to collapse the church, burying and killing the Tutsi inside. He then supervised the transfer of corpses from the church grounds into mass graves.

“His arrest ensures that he will finally face justice for his alleged crimes. Genocide is the most serious crime known to humankind… Kayishema’s arrest demonstrates yet again that justice can be secured, no matter the challenges, through direct cooperation between international and national law enforcement agencies,” the IRMCT chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz said.

Brammertz noted that the day of Kayishema’s arrest was a day to think of the victims and survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

“While 29 years have passed, they continue to bear the physical and mental scars of their suffering… We will not rest in our efforts to secure justice on their behalf,” the prosecutor said.

The investigation leading to Kayishema’s arrest spanned multiple countries globally, in cooperation with national law enforcement and immigration agencies. The notorious mass murderer utilized many aliases and false documents to conceal his identity and presence.

He relied upon a network of family members, those aligned with the genocidal Hutu Power ideology, members of the FDLR genocidal group and members of the ex-Forces Armées Rwandaises, or ex-FAR, the genocidal regime’s army.

Kayishema’s arrest marks a step forward in searching for remaining genocide fugitives indicted by the ICTR. He was one of the nine “most wanted” among the 93 genocidaires indicted by the tribunal.

There is a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to their arrest and trial.

Others in the same category are Félicien Kabuga. Nicknamed genocide financier, the businessman was the founder of RTLM, a hate radio that encouraged the Tutsi massacres. Kabuga is on trial in The Hague, after being arrested in May 2020 in Asnières-sur-Seine, France.

Ladislas Ntaganzwa, former burgomaster of Nyakizu commune in the prefecture of Butare, was arrested in DRC in 2015 and extradited to Rwanda in 2016. He was sentenced to life by the High Court in in Rwanda in May 2020.

Augustin Bizimana, the Minister of Defense in the interim government during the Genocide, was confirmed dead in May 2020, based on the ‘conclusive identification of his remains in a gravesite’ in Pointe Noire, the Republic of the Congo. It is believed that he died in August 2000.

Protais Mpiranya, the former commander of Presidential Guards, was confirmed dead in May 2022. Investigations revealed that he died in October 2006 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Pheneas Munyarugarama, former commandant of Gako Military Barracks, was confirmed dead in May 2022. It is believed that he died in February 2002 in Kankwala, DRC.

There are three more such Genocide fugitives still unaccounted for among the nine. Those are Aloys Ndimbati, former mayor of Gisovu commune in Kibuye prefecture; Charles Ryandikayo, former businessman in Kibuye prefecture and Charles Sikubwabo, former mayor of Gishyita commune.

Additionally, more than 1,000 other genocide suspects are still on the run worldwide. Kayishema’s arrest should send a clear message to all of them.

Following Kayishema’s arrest, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, stated that holding perpetrators accountable for their action is an essential step towards progress in a post-genocidal context.

"When perpetrators of past atrocities are not held accountable for their action, we are likely doomed to see history repeat itself," the Special Adviser noted, underlining the need to end impunity.

Brammertz hopes Kayishema will be in Rwanda for prosecution in “a few weeks.”