This archive report was first published on 16 May 2020.
On May 16, 2020, a significant milestone was achieved in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Felicien Kabuga, an 84-year-old fugitive, was arrested in France after evading capture for 26 years.
According to authorities, Kabuga was apprehended at an apartment in Asnieres-Sur-Seine, a suburb just outside Paris, where he had been living under a false name. The arrest comes as a significant blow to Kabuga, who had been hiding in plain sight, with a $5 million bounty on his head offered by the United States.
For years, Kabuga was believed to be hiding in Kenya, but government security officials had consistently denied these claims. The arrest of Kabuga is a testament to the determination of international authorities to bring those responsible for genocide to account, no matter how long it takes.
“The arrest of Felicien Kabuga is a reminder that those responsible for genocide can be brought to account, even after 26 years after their crimes,” said Serge Brammertz, chief Prosecutor of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague.
