Kabuga’s mystery should be resolved

The whereabouts of the notorious Genocide mastermind and financier, Felicien Kabuga, remains an issue of contention between the Kenyan authorities on one hand, and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on the other. A senior Kenyan official said that Kabuga left the Kenyan territory some time back, but the latest ICTR Chief Prosecutor’s comments contradict this assertion. This contradiction points to one thing--that there’s limited collaboration and proper exchange of information from all concerned parties who, otherwise, should see to it that these fugitives face justice. The key ingredient for successful apprehension and subsequent prosecution of genocide fugitives lies in proper coordination and collaboration between tracking institutions and law enforcement organs where these fugitives are suspected to be hiding. It is important to note that Kabuga, and others who have managed to elude the long arm of the law for 15 years, have been given succour by nations, strangely, that subscribe to numerous treaties to do with international humanitarian law. However, Jallow’s revelation that the ICTR is aware of the location of three top Genocide suspects creates further questions. For example, what impedes their arrest and prosecution and who is blocking the process? Whereas some of the Genocidaires are holed up in the jungles of eastern DRC, others live in comfort within different capitals around the world, but are hardly arrested and brought before the courts of law. The Kabuga question like that of other Genocide suspects still at large, must therefore be resolved soon, and disposed of. The whereabouts of these fugitives are known, what lacks is the will to apprehend them. Ends