The National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) has released the names of some of the Genocide fugitives holed up in the southwestern Pacific Ocean nation of New Zealand. The NPPA spokesperson, Faustin Nkusi, told The New Times last week that his office is investigating two indicted suspects, Eugene Uwimana, a former lecturer at the National University of Rwanda, whose indictment was sent in 2004, and Enock Ruhigira, whose indictment was sent in 2007. “They are all charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. Uwimana committed the crimes in Butare specifically at UNR, while Ruhigira was in Kigali,” Nkusi added. Uwimana also reportedly committed related crimes in the Mbazi locality of the then Butare region in southwestern Rwanda. In the past, Ruhigira worked in the Office of the President as the director of cabinet. End last month, The Dominion Post, a newspaper in Willington, the capital of New Zealand, reported that a Rwandan living in New Zealand, and suspected of being involved in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, was trying to secure confidentiality for witnesses in his defence. The man, whom the paper could not identify, denied the allegations, and said his immigration approval should not be cancelled. The newspaper reported that, so far, there has been no attempt to extradite or deport him, but he has been told his status is being reconsidered. Nkusi told The New Times that NPPA is carrying on with thorough investigations on the third suspect “and an indictment could be sent as well once investigations conclude.” The newspaper reported that the Court of Appeal in Wellington, heard that, as part of that reconsideration, he wants New Zealand authorities to see the 35 witness statements he has. The man’s lawyer, Grant Illingworth, QC, said nearly 20 of those witnesses gave statements on condition that they should not be revealed to Rwandan authorities. The suspect reportedly sought an undertaking from New Zealand immigration authorities that they do not disclose the confidential statements but the court reserved its decision on how the statements should be treated. Last month, the Head of the Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit, John Bosco Siboyintore, told journalists in Kigali that lack of political will in countries like France is one of the reasons the arrest of high profile fugitives remains difficult. Siboyintore said matters are worsened by the fact that suspects usually change names and location. Difficult conditions of identifiers such as DNA profiles, fingerprints, photos, and others, as usually “demanded by Interpol in order to publish red notices against them,” also compound the difficulties in tracking fugitives, he said.Since the creation of the tracking unit in 2007, about 605 indictments and international arrest warrants have been issued against Genocide suspects in 32 countries in Africa, Europe, North America, Canada and New Zealand. Eighteen Genocide fugitives have been since tried abroad while 17 were convicted. Only one was acquitted. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
