Belgians here over Genocide fugitives

KIGALI - Belgian officials were expected to arrive in the country last evening to carry out investigations on a key Genocide fugitive living in the European country. Belgian Ambassador to Rwanda Ivo Geomans confirmed this yesterday to The New Times after meeting Prime Minister Bernard Makuza alongside Belgian Chief of Defence Gen Charles-Henri Delcour. “You know there will be a huge trial, and tonight there are judges coming here, from Belgium to tackle this. We are taking these Genocide fugitives very seriously in our justice system,” the envoy revealed. He could not divulge details of the Genocide case that his country was following up, however, the spokesperson in the Office of the Prosecutor General, Augustin Nkusi, said that the Belgians would be coming as a rogatory commission to investigate an indicted fugitive living in their country. “We are informed that a delegation of three—a prosecutor and two members of the judicial police, will be in the country to investigate one of the fugitives currently living there,” said Nkusi said Belgium is home to a good number of genocide fugitives. “But this is better than some countries that simply sit on the indictments that we send without any action,” said Nkusi. Meanwhile, speaking to the press, the Belgian Defence Chief said he briefed the PM and Defence Minister Gen Marcel Gatsinzi about his earlier talks and agreement with his Rwandan counterpart Gen James Kabarebe. “I have met both your Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. This was an honour to meet them and we have obviously informed them all on the outcomes of our discussions with your chief of defence,” Delcour said. In their discussions Monday, the two countries’ top military officers agreed to establish a joint Military Technical Commission to foster defence cooperation between the two armies. “The discussions were focused on how best to organise our cooperation and, to focus our cooperation on the real needs of the Rwandan armed forces.” Ends

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Belgians here over Genocide fugitives