Court upholds freeze of Kabuga’s assets

A court in Kenya ruled on Tuesday that the assets of Felicien Kabuga should remain frozen until the ICTR completes the trials of suspects of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In May this year the government of Kenya decided to freeze the Kabuga’s assets, one of Rwanda’s most wanted fugitive yet to face justice for the alleged role in the killing of an estimated million slaughter of Tutsi in 1994. According to media reports, Kabuga’s wife Josephine Mukazitoni had objected to the ruling and applied to have the court order lifted, which was turned down. “I hereby dismiss the preliminary objection (from Mukazitoni),” Judge Muga Apondi is quoted as having pronounced. “That means that the orders I made on May 6 are in force till further notice.” Kabuga, a fugitive who has a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head, is wanted for having financed the Genocide that left over a million people dead. He has been repeatedly reported to be hiding in Kenya, and recently a prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda accused the Eastern African country of having failed to act against him despite information by the country’s police force proving his presence. The Arusha-based court says there is evidence Kabuga entered Kenya, applied for residency status, had his visa approved and opened a bank account. Kabuga is on the list of 13 people whose arrest by ICTR is still pending as the 15-year old tribunal eyes closing shop at the end of next year. Ends

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Court upholds freeze of Kabuga’s assets