One of the nine fugitives sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for their involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, has been arrested in the DR Congo, the Tribunal Prosecutor announced yesterday.

Justice Hassan Bubacar Jallow, Prosecutor of the ICTR and the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunal, was addressing reporters following a Security Council open debate on the ICTR and the International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). 

"The Mechanism, which is the successor of the ICTR, inherited nine fugitives from the ICTR but I am pleased to say that overnight, one of those nine, was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s Ladislas Ntaganzwa, former mayor of Nyakizu commune in Butare. He was arrested and he’s presently in custody. He was indicted with genocide and crimes and against humanity, in connection with the killings of over 20,000 Tutsis in that particular commune.”

Many genocide suspects remain at large. 

Rwanda’s prosecution says Zimbabwe and DR Congo are among the countries still reluctant to surrender suspected genocidaires. 

The top fugitives include Felicien Kabuga, the alleged chief financier of the Genocide; Protais Mpiranya, the former commandant of the notorious Presidential Guards, and former defence minister Augustin Bizimana. 

The so-called ‘big fish’ have eluded justice for nearly two decades now. 

With Ladislas Ntaganzwa in custody, other prominent suspects who remain on the run are, Fulgence Kayishema, Pheneas Munyarugarama, Aloys Ndimbati, Charles Rwandikayo and Charles Sikubwabo.

Ntaganzwa's case file has been handed to Rwanda; he will therefore be expected to be transferred to face justice in the country.

More details to follow..