UK ASSISTS GOR IN GENOCIDAIRE EXTRADITION REQUEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 001119 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C AND S/WCI E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM ASEC UK RW SUBJECT: UK ASSISTS GOR IN GENOCIDAIRE EXTRADITION REQUEST Classified By: Poloff GLearned. Reason 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary. There are two British investigators in Rwanda working with the Rwandan Justice Ministry and Prosecutor's Office to build extradition requests of four suspected genocidaires living in the UK that will withstand the scrutiny of the British legal system. Because the UK does not have a law to prosecute crimes against humanity, the British Home Office contracted the retired police officers to train Rwandan prosecutors and assist with the extradition packages of the four men. Although the process is generally proceding very well, the GOR's lack of discretion in publicizing the investigation has concerned the British Embassy. If successful, the idea of sending subject matter experts to work with Rwandans may be a practical and cost-effective method to train Rwandan law enforcement officials and to handle cases of genocidaires residing in the US. A relevant point as the GOR has indicated to Embassy that it has recently sent an extradition request for an alleged genocidaire to the USG through Interpol. End summary. ¶2. (C) The British investigators work very closely with their Rwandan counterparts in interviewing witnesses, translation procedures and ensuring the extradition packages will be legally acceptable to HMG. (Note. HMG received the official extradition requests through its Kigali Embassy. There is no extradition treaty between the countries, however, UK law makes a provision for a special arrangement to be considered. End note.) According to one of the investigators, the first month (of an estimated total of three) has gone very well. He noted however, that the translation process is especially time consuming and complicated as after the prosecutors take the statement from a witness in Kinyarwanda, that statement must be translated into English, approved by the UK representatives, translated back into Kinyarwanda by a different translator, read and signed by the witness, and then translated back into a final English version. Rwandan Press Jumps the Gun -------------- ¶3. (C) On 13 November, local press incorrectly reported that the British Government arrested "five suspected Rwandan masterminds of the 1994 Genocide who have been basking in the UK as asylum seekers since 1998." The British Embassy was not happy by this reporting as it was inaccurate (one of the four- not five- were brought in for questioning not arrested) and HMG is concerned that wide coverage of the issue will cause the suspects to flee. The story was subsequently partially corrected by "The New Times" the government English-language daily. ¶4. (C) The most known suspect of the four is Dr. Vincent Bajinya (a.k.a. Vincent Brown) who was working for Praxis, a British NGO that aids refugees in the UK. According to the British Embassy, BBC reporting on the issue caused Praxis to immediately suspend Bajinya to allow for a full investigation. As quoted by Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Kurugarama the three other suspects- Emmanuel Ntezilyayo, Charlesall Munyaneza and Celestin Karugarama- were all senior leaders of the Interahamwe during the genocide. Rwanda Asks the US Next -------------- ¶5. (C) Separately, Emboff was told by Prosecutor Emmanuel Rukangira on 20 November that the GOR has sent an international arrest warrant and a request to Interpol that the USG extradite Rwandan citizen Leopold Munyakazi to Rwanda. (Note. Munyakazi currently resides in New Jersey and works as a professor at Montclair State University. End note.) According to Rukangira, Munyakazi is wanted for murder during the 1994 genocide. ¶6. (C) Comment. Both the Rwandans and British involved have been very positive about the technique of sending two British experts to Rwanda to aid in the extradition request process. The training and daily exposure to British law enforcement professionals will certainly be a long term benefit for the Rwandan prosecutors regardless of the outcome of these cases and, if successful, this should be a model for other countries with similar extradition situations to consider. End comment. ARIETTI