Ukiliho Kayishema Fulgence, a fugitive accused of masterminding the massacre of more than 2,000 Tutsi refugees during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has been apprehended in Paarl, South Africa. With a 27yearlong manhunt, Fulgence now faces a list of 52 charges, including multiple counts related to the Refugees Act and Immigration Act. This article explores the key aspects of the story, shedding light on the decadeslong evasion and the legal implications at hand.
Fulgence Kayishema, a former Rwandan police inspector, was apprehended on a grape farm in Paarl after being on the run for 22 years for his role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (MICT) charged him with genocide, complicity and conspiracy to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity.
After evading arrest for more than two decades, Fulgence Kayishema, one of the world’s most wanted genocide fugitives, was arrested in Paarl, Western Cape, on 24 May. This has been a significant victory for international justice as Kayishema allegedly played a key role in orchestrating the murder of approximately 2,000 Tutsis during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
