France told to extradite suspect

2007-10-19 14:40

Kigali - Rwanda called on France on Friday to extradite a Rwandan wanted for his alleged role in the country's 1994 genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for the African country.

Dominique Ntawukuriryayo, a former sub-prefect in the southern Gisagara region during the mass killings, was arrested by French police in Carcassonne, south-west France, Interpol said on Thursday.

The ICTR had charged him with genocide, complicity in genocide and incitement to commit genocide by the United Nations tribunal.

Rwanda's chief prosecutor Martin Ngoga said: "We want this genocide suspect to be extradited to Rwanda, and failing that, to have him delivered to the ICTR to answer for his acts."

800 000 Rwandans killed

Kigali had delivered several other arrest warrants to the French authorities for people they believed were hiding there, he added.

Interpol issued a wanted persons notice for Ntawukuriryayo in 2006 and the Rwandan authorities said in May of this year that he was hiding in France.

Interpol's statement did not make it clear when Ntawukuriryayo was arrested.

At least 800 000 died, mostly Tutsis, in the Rwandan genocide. The killing was sparked by the assassination in April 1994 of then Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana.

The current Tutsi-led regime in Kigali had regularly accused France of having supported the Hutus during the genocide. France had always denied the charge.

Rwanda broke diplomatic relations with France in November 2006. Ntawukuriryayo was the third Rwandan wanted by the ICTR to be arrested in France.

Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, a 49-year-old priest, and Laurent Bucyibaruta, 62, a former prefect in the southern Gikongoro region, were both arrested this earlier this year. The ICTR issued warrants for both men in June.

- AFP