Mugesera finally deported

KIGALI - Genocide fugitive Leon Mugesera was, yesterday, deported from Canada after losing a last-minute court battle to stay in the North Americancountry, bringing to end a case that span almost two decades. A Quebec Superior Court judge ruled Monday that the plea by the UnitedNations Committee Against Torture, to stay deportation on grounds thathe would be tortured, was beyond the jurisdiction of the provincialcourt. Justice Michel Delorme ruled that Mugeseras latest case was strictlya matter for Federal Court, saying if he granted the suspect anextension of his stay he would create confusion and tribunalshopping in the courts. Federal lawyers argued officials had already assessed the risk oftorture faced by Mugesera and found it to be minimal. They also saidinternational treaty obligations do not take precedence over Canadianlaw. The Federal Court later turned down the last-minute appeal and the59-year old Genocide suspect was put on the plane by Canadianauthorities. The Minister of Foreign Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo, said on herTwitter account: Leon Mugeseras deportation, while decades past due,is welcome news for a people committed to healing and justice. She later added: “Leon Mugesera is now air bound for Kigali. Thankordinary people in Canada who saw through confusion in internationallegal labyrinth and said ‘he must go’.” Janvier Forongo, the Executive Secretary of the survivors’ umbrellagroup, IBUKA, said: “We welcome this ruling, and Canada’s justicesystem should be an example to other countries that still housekillers – they should deport them to the country where they committedthe horrors so that they are tried.” On his part, Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga observed that it “was aright decision, adding to many more taken before to prove the pointthat our justice system has gained credibility and recognition.” In a 1992 speech, Mugesera called the Tutsi “cockroaches” and “scum,”as he encouraged the Hutus to kill them and dump them into RiverNyabarongo – a tributary of the Nile – supposedly as a short cut toAbyssinia (Ethiopia), where he said they originated from. Mugesera was the vice chairman of the MRND party that plunged Rwandainto the Genocide that claimed over a million lives.He fled to Canada to avoid prosecution, and has ever since waged a16-year legal battle to avoid deportation. james.munyaneza@newtimes.co.rwjames.karuhanga@newtimes.co.rw

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Mugesera finally deported