AfricaPress-Tanzania: WHILE Felicien Kabuga, the most wanted Rwandan fugitive accused of orchestrating the Rwandan genocide, and death of another, Augustin Bizimana, Protais Mpiranya, remains at large.
The former Commander of the Presidential Guard of the Rwandan Army, is wanted for taking part in the 1994 genocide and is sought for facing war crimes related charges.
While Kabuga was arrested in France on May 15, this year, the United Nations’ International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) announced the death of Bizimana, whose remains were found and identified in a gravesite in Pointe Noire, the Republic of the Congo.
The three major fugitives who have been sought since 1994, are said to be the force behind the genocide, as violent Rwandan extremists launched a bloody campaign of ethnic cleansing.
“The Mechanism Office of the Prosecutor confirms the death of Augustin Bizimana, one of the major fugitives alleged to have been a senior leader of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
This confirmation is based on the conclusive identification of Bizimana’s remains in a grave site in Pointe Noire, the Republic of the Congo,” a statement released by the Mechanism that has a branch in Arusha and The Hague, Netherlands, said.
Bizimana was the Minister of Defence in the Interim Government during the genocide. He was charged with 13 counts of genocide, complicity in genocide, extermination, murder, rape, torture, other inhumane acts, persecution, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity, all in relation to crimes committed during the 1994 genocide.
He was alleged to be responsible for the murders of former Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and 10 Belgian United Nations peacekeepers, and for the murder of Tutsi civilians throughout Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Butare, Kibuye and Cyangugu prefectures.
The External Relations Office of the Mechanism said in a statement that with the arrest of Kabuga last Saturday and confirmation of Bizimana’s death, the Office of the Prosecutor has now accounted for two of the three major fugitives indicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
“The remaining major fugitive is Protais Mpiranya …The Office is also actively pursuing the five other fugitives indicted by the ICTR – Fulgence Kayishema, Phénéas Munyarugarama, Aloys Ndimbati, Ryandikayo and Charles Sikubwabo,” The Mechanism said.
The Office of the Prosecutor calls on all UN member states to intensify cooperation in order to bring the remaining fugitives to justice.
Mpiranya is accused of playing a key role in planning the genocide, including training military groups and distributing weapons.
The Presidential Guard, under Mpiranya’s command, is accused of reportedly being a major driving force of lawlessness and destruction.
The ICTR, now IRMCT, indicted Mpiranya on charges of genocide and war crimes and issued warrants for his arrest.
The United States is cooperating with other governments, UN and The Mechanism, to make it harder for Mpiranya and others sought for the killing to continue to elude justice.
To achieve that end, the US is offering a reward of up to 5m$ for information leading to his arrest. The Mechanism Chief Prosecutor is Serge Brammertz.
