Paul Rusesabagina terror trial: Rendition theory drowned by key witness

Paul Rusesabagina VS Constantin Niyomwungeri

The rendition or kidnapping theory advanced in the trial of Paul Rusesabagina, the hotelier made famous in the 2004 film “Hotel Rwanda,” was drowned in deep water by the testimony of a key witness on March 5.

Rusesabagina and 20 others face charges outlined in a 300-page indictment related to their involvement with the National Liberation Front (FLN), the armed wing of the political party known as MRCD. Rusesabagina faces nine counts linked to terrorism. Among others, he and his co-accused were allegedly involved in terror attacks on Rwandan soil between 2018 and 2019 which claimed nine lives.

End last August, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) arrested Rusesabagina, upon his arrival at Kigali International Airport. Until his arrest, Rusesabagina was the subject of an International Arrest Warrant. He was wanted for alleged terrorism, arson, kidnap and murder, perpetrated against civilians in Rwanda.

When his trial resumed, however, his defence team and other backers pulled all strings to delegitimize the trial, claiming, among other things, that Rwandan agents kidnapped and bundled him onto a private jet in Dubai and sent him to Kigali.

Surveillance cameras in Dubai, however, show that he traveled through the city, checked in and out of Ibis Hotel, and boarded a private jet freely.

A French investigation detailed how an interlocutor, upset with his terrorism, tricked him into believing he would facilitate meetings in Burundi to try to restart the flow of aid from there to Rwandan rebel groups he leads.

The entire script rolled out on March 5 when - Bishop Constantin Niyomwungere - the man who actually tricked Rusesabagina into coming to Rwanda testified in court.  Rusesabagina was not kidnapped by Rwandan agents as he wants the world to believe, court heard.

The man of God - who first met the terror suspect through a mutual friend in 2017 - explained how Rusesabagina introduced himself as a leader of the MRCD-FLN. The duo kept in touch but, initially, Niyomwungere never really knew what the MRCD-FLN was all about until one day he was shocked to hear on radio that MRCD-FLN carried out armed attacks in Rwanda and innocent people were killed.

The Bishop asked his friend about the attacks. Rusesabagina admitted the reports about the deadly attacks "and told me that he was not bothered" by the innocent lives lost, but was instead vexed by the fact that the then FLN Spokesperson - Callixte Nsabimana (Sankara) who is also among the 21 suspects on trial - immediately claimed responsibility.

Rusesabagina's plot, the court heard, was to blame the killings of people during the attacks orchestrated by himself and his terrorist group on the government of Rwanda so as to tarnish its image. “I was shocked and regretted being linked with such a person,” Niyomwungere told the court.

Fast forward. Months later, Niyomwungere visited Rwanda on a working trip, and a Rwanda Investigation Bureau officer "called Michel" who had been following his communications with Rusesabagina interrogated him.

The officer explained everything about Rusesabagina's terror activities as well as showed Niyomwungere images of the people who died in the terror group's attacks. This is when the Bishop, the court heard, was convinced that he had to do something, as a true man of God, and help to ensure justice is served. He was determined to help RIB and bring Rusesabagina to justice.

So, despite all the anger he had now that he knew what Rusesabagina really represented, he kept his cool and maintained contact with the MRCD-FLN leader. And he kept Michel posted on everything.

And a plot was eventually hatched when Rusesabagina indicated that he wished to travel to Burundi to link up with his network there. At the time, Niyomwungere was in Kenya, and Rusesabagina in the United States. They organised and met in Dubai where the Bishop had arranged for "a private jet that would take us to our destination."

But, the court heard, apart from Rusesabagina who thought that the private jet was heading to Burundi, the pilot and cabin crew all knew the destination was Kigali. When the plane touched down in Kigali, the court heard, RIB officers including Michel were waiting. Rusesabagina was immediately handed an arrest warrant.