Kenya: Safe Haven for Rwanda's Most Wanted

by Michelle . · 2009-08-24 17:44:00 UTC
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What does it take to evade arrest for crimes of genocide? Cash.

And, perhaps, murder. (More of it, that is.)

Prosecutors with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) are a tad frustrated with the Kenyan government, which it accuses of thwarting attempts to arrest Rwanda's most wanted genocide fugitive. Felicien Kabuga is reportedly buying his safety in Kenya with large pay-offs to government officials, and a local informant working with US FBI agents on his case mysteriously turned up dead in 2003. Others have reported similar threats. It has all the makings of a bad mob movie.

The wealthy businessman bankrolled Rwanda's extremist ruling party and its enthusiastic militia, was close to its president, and is accused of being one of the main architects of the carefully-planned genocide in 1994. He is also behind the creation and direction of Rwanda's infamous hate-radio station, RTLM.

The case against him is, so to speak, fairly compelling. One would think that a government eager to make nice with the world after its own bout of mass violence would be a little more cooperative with international investigators. But, once again, greed conquers all.

[Photo from George Mulala/Reuters: A wanted ad for Kabuga in a Kenyan newspaper.]

Michelle . has been involved in various activist endeavors, including the Teach Against Genocide pilot campaigns.
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