A mastermind of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has embarked on a calculated campaign, with the help of his lawyers, which could see him escape accountability for the crimes he committed 30 years back.

Pierre Basabose, 76, has been on trial in a Belgian court since last month and together with his co-accused Séraphin Twahirwa, he faces Genocide and war crimes charges which were committed in Rwanda.

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Basabose, who operated a forex business, was a well-connected businessperson apparently with close links to the family of former President Juvenal Habyarimana. He was also a major shareholder in Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), the hate radio that was a key tool during the Genocide. He is also a former soldier of the notorious Ex-FAR.

During his trial this week, Basabose, who had initially not appeared physically before the judges during the initial hearings, showed up to build a case of frailty, claiming to suffer from acute diabetes and that he is developing dementia.

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Ironically, the same reason of dementia was advanced by Felicien Kabuga, the once most wanted Genocide fugitive, who is now on the verge of literally walking away without being held accountable for the atrocities he committed.

Widely known as the ‘Financier of the Genocide’, Kabuga was in June this year declared by judges at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) as unfit for trial, having suspended his trial months earlier, on similar grounds as ones Basabose is advancing.

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It must be noted that Kabuga had been a fugitive of justice for close to three decades, during which he used his wealth to escape capture. He had all these years to present before court and plead his innocence. However, just as survivors of the Genocide sighed with relief that justice was going finally be served, he was set free.

Naturally, this is gut wrenching, and the fact that Basabose is playing the same card only exacerbates these concerns.

The judges in Belgium have an opportunity to deliver justice irrespective the condition of Basabose because there are people who have endured worse for the past 30 years, as he hid from justice. Their suffering should therefore not be ignored especially since there is irrefutable evidence pinning him.

Fortunately, the same court had previously ruled to proceed with the trial back in August despite such reports that were being advanced by his defence team.

Such should also be a wakeup call for countries – Belgium inclusive – where indicted fugitives still roam freely to act fast and apprehend them to put them on trial before it is too late for them escape justice.