…By Roland Peterson for TDPel Media.
One of the world’s most wanted fugitives, Fulgence Kayishema, has finally been apprehended in Cape Town, ending his 22-year-long evasion of justice.
The arrest was made in connection with the crimes committed during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
Kayishema, a former police officer, had been charged in 2001, and he is among the four remaining fugitives from the genocide who have now been captured.
Operation and Allegations Against Kayishema
The joint efforts of South African and Rwandan authorities led to Kayishema’s arrest on Wednesday.
The suspect is accused of orchestrating the killing of over 2,000 Tutsi refugees at the Nyage Catholic Church.
Kayishema is scheduled to appear in the magistrate court in Cape Town.
CNN reports that upon his arrest, he initially denied his identity, allegedly employing multiple counterfeit documents to avoid detection and capture.
Significance of the Arrest and Commitment to Justice
The Chief prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), Serge Brammertz, emphasized the gravity of genocide as the most severe crime against humanity.
He stated that the international community is dedicated to ensuring the prosecution and punishment of its perpetrators.
Kayishema’s arrest serves as a tangible demonstration that this commitment remains unwavering, and that justice will prevail.
Brammertz emphasized that the arrest guarantees that Kayishema will face the full weight of the law for his heinous crime.
Kayishema’s Participation in the Genocide
According to City Press, the events at the Nyanga Church during the Rwandan genocide were among the most brutal, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus over a span of 90 days.
The victims sheltering in the church included men, women, children, and the elderly.
The tribunal alleges that Kayishema directly participated in planning and executing the 1994 massacre.
The indictment states that he procured and distributed petrol to set the church on fire, with the refugees trapped inside, and also used a bulldozer to demolish the building.
Fleeing and Capture After Decades on the Run
After the genocide, Kayishema fled Rwanda and sought refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He subsequently moved between various African countries, accompanied by his wife, children, and brother-in-law, before ultimately settling in Cape Town, South Africa.
It was in Cape Town where he was finally apprehended after evading authorities for more than two decades.