Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10KIGALI75
2010-02-09 08:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:
POLICE ARREST PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL INGABIRE'S AIDE
how-toVZCZCXRO9838 PP RUEHRN DE RUEHLGB #0075 0400825 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 090825Z FEB 10 ZDS ZDK FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6630 INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0169 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0362
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000075
C O R R E C T E D COPY (PARA MARKINGS)
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/8/2010
TAGS: PGOV KJUS PHUM PINS RW
SUBJECT: POLICE ARREST PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL INGABIRE'S AIDE
FOR POSSIBLE GENOCIDE CRIMES
REF: A. KIGALI 66
B. KIGALI 67
Classified By: Ambassador W. Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000075
C O R R E C T E D COPY (PARA MARKINGS)
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/8/2010
TAGS: PGOV KJUS PHUM PINS RW
SUBJECT: POLICE ARREST PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL INGABIRE'S AIDE
FOR POSSIBLE GENOCIDE CRIMES
REF: A. KIGALI 66
B. KIGALI 67
Classified By: Ambassador W. Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (SBU) Police on February 6 arrested Joseph Ntawangundi, an
aide to would-be presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire, on
charges that a gacaca court in 2007 tried and convicted him
in absentia for genocide-related crimes. Ingabire's camp
shortly afterward released a press statement, claiming
Ntawangundi was out of the country during the genocide.
According to one local source, a gacaca court in Eastern
Province may indeed have convicted one Joseph Ntawangundi,
but it may be a different individual with the same name.
(Note: The arrest came three days after an unknown group of
individuals at or near a local government office assaulted
Ingabire and Ntawangundi, succeeding in grabbing Ingabire's
handbag and ripping off Ntawangundi's shirt. Days before
that, pro-government newspaper The New Times reported that
Ingabire's own mother had been tried and convicted of
genocide-related crimes. End Note.)
2. (C) COMMENT: It strikes us as unlikely that Ntawangundi
would have returned to Rwanda if he or the FDU-Inkingi
political group that Ingabire chairs felt he were at risk of
arrest for genocide-related crimes. In the absence of
reliable information, the most plausible explanation is
mistaken identity. END COMMENT.
SYMINGTON
C O R R E C T E D COPY (PARA MARKINGS)
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/8/2010
TAGS: PGOV KJUS PHUM PINS RW
SUBJECT: POLICE ARREST PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL INGABIRE'S AIDE
FOR POSSIBLE GENOCIDE CRIMES
REF: A. KIGALI 66
B. KIGALI 67
Classified By: Ambassador W. Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b) (d)
1. (SBU) Police on February 6 arrested Joseph Ntawangundi, an
aide to would-be presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire, on
charges that a gacaca court in 2007 tried and convicted him
in absentia for genocide-related crimes. Ingabire's camp
shortly afterward released a press statement, claiming
Ntawangundi was out of the country during the genocide.
According to one local source, a gacaca court in Eastern
Province may indeed have convicted one Joseph Ntawangundi,
but it may be a different individual with the same name.
(Note: The arrest came three days after an unknown group of
individuals at or near a local government office assaulted
Ingabire and Ntawangundi, succeeding in grabbing Ingabire's
handbag and ripping off Ntawangundi's shirt. Days before
that, pro-government newspaper The New Times reported that
Ingabire's own mother had been tried and convicted of
genocide-related crimes. End Note.)
2. (C) COMMENT: It strikes us as unlikely that Ntawangundi
would have returned to Rwanda if he or the FDU-Inkingi
political group that Ingabire chairs felt he were at risk of
arrest for genocide-related crimes. In the absence of
reliable information, the most plausible explanation is
mistaken identity. END COMMENT.
SYMINGTON