Fulgence Kayishema, the most wanted man in the 1994 Rwandan genocide
CNN reported on May 25 that Fulgence Kayishema, the most wanted man in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, was arrested in Paarl, South Africa on May 24 after decades on the run.
Fulgence Kayishema is accused of orchestrating the killing of more than 2,000 Tutsi refugees – including women, men, children and the elderly – at Nyange Catholic Church during the genocide. Kayishema has been on the run since 2001.
Kayishema was arrested in a joint operation between South African authorities and United Nations investigators. Investigators said Kayishema used multiple identities and false documents to avoid detection.
"The arrest is the result of an intense, thorough and rigorous investigation," CNN quoted a senior official at the prosecutor's office involved in the case as saying.
"Fulgence Kayishema has been on the run for more than 20 years. His arrest ensures that Kayishema will finally face justice for his crimes," said Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz of the UN's International Mechanism for the Prosecution of Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).
When the genocide ended in July 1994, Kayishema fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo with his wife, children, and brother-in-law. After moving to other African countries, Kayishema moved to South Africa using a false name in 1999 and sought asylum in Cape Town.
Since arriving in South Africa, Kayishema has relied on a tight support network that includes former members of the Rwandan military, prosecutors say, who have gone to great lengths to conceal his activities and whereabouts.
The genocide in Nyanga, Rwanda, was one of the most brutal events. Approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed over a 90-day period.
The court accused Kayishema of being directly involved in “planning and executing the massacre.” According to the indictment, Kayishema purchased and distributed gasoline to burn down the church while refugees were inside. Kayishema and others were also accused of using a bulldozer to demolish the church after the fire while refugees were still inside.
Former church priest Athanase Seromba was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2006, which was later increased to life on appeal.
Kayishema will appear in court on May 26 in Cape Town.
The US War Crimes Rewards Program has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Kayishema and other wanted men responsible for the Rwandan genocide.
During the Rwandan genocide, Hutu militias and civilians killed many members of the Tutsi minority. The killings ended 100 days later when the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) forces led by President Paul Kagame defeated the Hutu rebels and took control of the country.
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