A senior Rwandan justice official said the country would not accept to be a safe haven for foreign criminals after the Ministry of Justice extradited a terror suspect to India on Wednesday, November 27.

Rwanda extradited Salman Khan, an Indian national, after the first India sent its first extradition request to Rwanda on October 29. An Interpol Red Notice had been received by Rwandan officials in early August. Khan was arrested in Rwanda on September 9.

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"Rwanda is not a safe haven for any criminals. It’s not a country where fugitives would go. We have a zero-tolerance [policy],” said John Bosco Siboyintore, a prosecutor at the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA).

The two countries do not have an extradition treaty, but India’s request was granted based on the grounds that it would initiate reciprocity with Rwanda in such cases, said Siboyintore.

Siboyintore emphasised the importance of international cooperation in combating cross-border crimes, like human trafficking, terrorism, and cybercrime.

"We cannot be held down by the absence of extradition treaties, we must build strong institutions that can check and manage the JBSC N of criminals,” said Siboyintore.

"Rwanda has been a beneficiary of similar extradition processes with other countries as we have done to India today. We need international cooperation in criminal matters; that is what the world needs because it faces crimes that are not bound by national borders.”

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Siboyintore said that the extradition of the Indian national was "a strong message to any criminal who would consider Rwanda a safe haven.”

The International Crimes Department at the NPPA is tasked with prosecuting a range of international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, as well as transnational crimes. These include acts of terrorism, money laundering, human trafficking, and cybercrime.

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Rwanda’s strong stance on fighting crime, he said, was also underlined by its investment in institutions such as the High Court Chamber for International Crimes and Cross-Border Crimes based in Nyanza, which has jurisdiction over foreign suspects involved in international crimes.

How international criminals are identified

The General Secretariat of INTERPOL, which includes 195 member states, Rwanda among them, is the central body overseeing international policing efforts.

Each member country has a National Central Bureau, a specialised unit responsible for coordinating national law enforcement with INTERPOL to tackle cross-border criminal activities.

"One of the key tools used by INTERPOL’s NCBs is the I-247 system, an advanced, 24/7 global police communications network. This system enables law enforcement agencies worldwide to share critical information in real-time,” Siboyintore said.

"When a country identifies a suspect who is wanted for serious crimes, it can request an international arrest warrant through its NCB. This request is then circulated to all 195 member states, prompting them to assist in locating and apprehending the individual.”

Siboyintore also said that the I-247 system plays a pivotal role in ensuring that international criminals do not evade justice across borders.

A notable example of this system in action is the recent apprehension of the Indian terror suspect in Rwanda, he said.

"The request for Khan’s arrest was raised through the I-247 system, allowing Rwanda Investigation Bureau and other relevant authorities to swiftly respond and apprehend him in accordance with international law.”

Rwanda being a visa-free country

Siboyintore noted that although Rwanda is a visa-free country, which some may assume could attract criminals, the government has established strong institutions to monitor and control any such attempts.

He highlighted that even if criminals manage to enter, they will not evade justice for long, as the law will swiftly catch up with them.

"International cooperation in combating crimes that cross borders, and Rwanda’s participation in INTERPOL and other international bodies helps prevent criminals from escaping justice,” he said.