Rusesabagina was thrilled by plan to attack Rwanda: Key witness told court

Lt Col Noel Habiyaremye testifying how he was receiving fund from Rusesabagina to support FDLR terror group

Each day brings new revelations in the ongoing MRCD/FLN trial at the Special Chamber of The High Court for International and Cross-border Crimes where the MRCD/FLN leader Paul Rusesabagina and 20 co-accused are being tried for terrorism and other related crimes. 

In a new twist yesterday, former FDLR top commander, Lt Col Noel Habiyaremye revealed damning details of how he connected and worked with Rusesabagina while he was still in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) jungles. LT. Col. Habiyaremye was the third key prosecution witness after Dr. Michelle Martin and Bishop Constantin Niyomwungeri who testified in court and gave detailed account of their working with Rusesabagina and what they know about his support for terror groups that attacked and others that intended to attack Rwanda and overthrow the government.

Habiyaremye told court that he knew Rusesabagina through one Providence Rubingisa during a phone conversation because they shared similar ideology of causing insurgencies in Rwanda. Through their conversation Rubingisa told Habiyaremye that he would introduce him to Rusesabagina since the trio shared the same ideology. 

“I asked him [Rubingisha] for Rusesabagina’s contacts. He gave them to me; I called Rusesabagina and introduced myself. I told him that I am a battalion Commander and he told me that he needed support to drive his agenda. I told him about our plan but also informed him of the internal conflicts within FDLR. He understood and he told me that he will talk with FDLR leadership, which was around 2006,” Habiyaremye told  court as he took to the stand as a prosecution witness.

In 2007, Habiyaremye traveled to Lusaka-Zambia for medical treatment using DRC travel documents disguised  as a Congolese citizen like most of FDLR officers. While in Zambia, he reconnected with Rusesabagina through his host one Innocent Minani. They both had known Rusesabagina separately. 

“I called Rusesabagina and he indeed remembered me; we talked at length and he mentioned that he wanted an armed wing for his political party PDR Ihumure. He believed and even told me that having an armed wing would secure him negotiations with Government of Rwanda,” Habiyaremye said. After discussions, Rusesabagina tasked him to find good fighters because to him (Rusesabagina) money was not a problem.

“He first sent me $500 to save his relative out of jungles in DRC, and $1000  to cover my medical bill. He sent the money through Nsengiyumva Appolinaire. I continued being in touch with Rusesabagina and he sent me more money. He later sent me $750 through someone called Meg Umwari then another $ 850 and later on 400 Euros,” he added. 

The prosecution said that Rusesabagina’s plan was to establish an armed wig using Habiyaremye but the move was disrupted after Habiyaremye’s arrest in Burundi. How did Habiyaremye get to Burundi?

Once in Lusaka, Lt Col Habiyaremye called his former colleague in FDLR Col Tharcisse Nditurende and told him about the plan he had with Rusesabagina, but Nditurende was already in contact with Victoria Ingabire. It should be recalled that Victoria Ingabire was imprisoned for terror and genocide related charges but released on presidential clemency before completing her jail term. Western human rights organizations and international media have persistently demonized the government of Rwanda for her arrest, calling her ‘a strong opposition figure’ of President Paul Kagame, and a fierce human rights activist, regardless of piles of evidence for her collaboration with terror groups. Was the former FDRL Commander also a government spy to pin Ingabire for collaboration with FDRL?

Nditurende had already planned to travel to Burundi and meet with country’s intelligence chief Gen Adolphe Nshimirimana.  Col Nditurende was familiar with Gen Nshimirimana as he fought for FDD/CNDD. Habiyaremye left Lusaka to Tanzania and Nditurende left North Kivu to Nairobi. 

  “Nditurende had valid Congolese travel documents but mine had expired. We had to avoid detection at the borders. I called Rusesabagina and told him that we needed money. Rusesabagina sent us $ 2000 through Minani who was in Belgium and Col Nditurende cashed the money.  Rusesabagina  sent another $1000 through Minani. We went to Bujumbura via Kigoma. When we arrived in Bujumbura we made arrangements and met Gen Adolphe Nshimirimana to seek his support and a route to attack Rwanda from Burundi,” said Habiyaremye. Their host appreciated their plan to attack Rwanda.  “Your plan is good. Keep it up we will keep in touch. We will find a way to support you,” Gen Adolphe Nshimimana encouraged them.

Habiyaremye and Nditurende informed Rusesabagina of the meeting and Rusesabagina’s reaction was full of excitement and thrill and as a result, Rusesabagina sent more money to Habiyaremye and Nditurende to buy satellite phones to easy communication. “We asked Rusesabagina to buy two satellite phones. He sent me $1870 in two installments- (970 and 900) via Western Union in Bujumbura,” Habiyaremye told court.

Collaboration between   Rusesabagina and Habiyaremye came to an abrupt end in 2009, when he was arrested together with Col Nditurende and transferred to Rwanda. 

Burundi has featured prominently in the FLN Trial and in several other cases involving terror attacks on Rwanda. The involvement of Uganda was also mentioned during the trial of Maj (Rtd) Habib Mudathiru of P5 terror group led by Kayumba Nyamwasa.  Habib told court that Burundi security officials facilitated the recruitment and movements of his soldiers from Uganda to South Kivu where they had a camp. 

Callixte Nsabimana alias Sankara, MRCD/FLN Spokesperson who is on same trial with Rusesabagina and 19 others testified that their corridor to attack Rwanda was provided by Burundi Intelligence officers. Reports that Burundi’s security organs have enrolled FDLR combatants into their army came to light since 2015.