APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – Rwanda will make a fresh application to Australia for the extradition of two most wanted suspected genocide fugitives currently seeking asylum there, a judicial source tells APA on Wednesday.
The two fugitives are Froduald Rukeshangabo who lives in suburban Brisbane and works as a driving instructor and Celestin Munyaburanga who also has family in the same city – although it is unclear whether he is in the country.
It is also understood that the latter might be living under a different name.
In 2017, the Rwandan government issued an indictment and international arrest warrant to Australia, seeking the arrest of Munyaburanga, who was then believed to be living in Canberra.
The warrant alleges that Munyaburanga is “suspected to have committed the crime of genocide” under local criminal law and international convention.
The former high school headmaster, according to the allegations in the indictment, established a roadblock at Hanika, in Nyanza district in Rwanda’s south, where he “with [Hutu militia]… intercepted and killed with traditional weapons, Tutsi civilians”.
The indictment alleges Munyaburanga was complicit in the deaths of 21 named Tutsi – as well as an unknown number more not identified.
Froduald Rukeshangabo, now a driving instructor in Brisbane, was tried in absentia and without legal representation in 2007 by the local gacaca community court, and found to have participated in the genocide.
He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The head of Rwanda’s Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit, John Bosco Siboyintore, said Rwanda that would not relent in its pursuit to have two genocidaire suspects sent back home to serve his sentence.
“Genocide is an international crime and may not require an extradition treaty to have justice served,” Siboyintore said.
According to him, Australia has also “an international duty to either prosecute or extradite” Munyaburanga and Rukeshangabo.
CU/as/APA