The US has deported to Rwanda Beatrice Munyenyezi, a wanted fugitive who played a major role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in the former Butare Prefecture (South), judicial reports confirmed Friday in Kigali.
Reports indicate that Munyenyezi who was in the past sentenced to 10 years for fraudulently obtaining US citizenship was recently released from prison after she completed her sentence.
In 2013, Beatrice Munyenyezi, located in the American state of New Hampshire was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for lying about her role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide to obtain U.S. citizenship.
She was convicted of entering the United States and securing citizenship by lying about her role as a commander of one of the notorious roadblocks where the Tutsi were singled out for slaughter. She also denied affiliation with any political party, despite her husband’s leadership role in the extremist Interahamwe militia.
Munyenyezi is the wife of Arsene Ntahobali, who, together with his mother Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, were sentenced to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for their role in the Genocide.
Her appeal against this ruling was rejected by an appeals court in 2017.
In 2011, another Rwandan genocide fugitive Jean-Marie Vianney Mudahinyuka was turned over to Rwandan officials who had issued a warrant for his arrest accusing him of participating in the massacres.
Mudahinyuka had gained access to the United States in 2000 by concealing his identity and giving a false name to an immigration officer, according to a press release issued at the time by U.S. immigration officials. He was convicted in the United States of immigration fraud and sentenced to serve 51 months in prison.
After finishing his sentence Mudahinyuka fought his deportation until the U.S. Supreme Court denied his request in 2010.
CU/abj/APA