One of the Rwandan Genocide fugitives Fulgence Kayishema who has been at large since 2001 was arrested in South Africa, the UN tribunal for war crimes in Rwanda said on Thursday.
Kayishema is allegedly responsible for the slaughter of 2,000 Tutsi at the Nyange Catholic Church during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said.
Kayishema has been at large since 2001 and was described by the tribunal as “one of the world’s most-wanted genocide fugitives.” He was arrested on Wednesday.
“Fulgence Kayishema was a fugitive for more than 20 years. His arrest ensures that he will finally face justice for his alleged crimes,” IRMCT Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said.
According to his 2001 indictment, Kayishema is alleged to have directly participated in the massacre of 2,000 men, women, elderly and children refugees.
He allegedly procured and distributed petrol to burn down the church where the Tutsi refugees were staying. When this failed, he allegedly used a bulldozer to collapse the church, burying and killing the people inside.
The IRMCT said Kayishema managed to evade authorities for two decades by using different aliases and false documents.
He also relied upon “a network of trusted supporters” including family members and those aligned with the genocidal Hutu Power ideology.
