Rwanda: U.S.$5 Million Bounty for Remaining Rwandan Genocide Fugitives

Arusha — BOUNTY for all remaining suspects wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha is now set at 5 million US dollars (nearly 8bn/-) per person.

The Head of the US Global Criminal Justice, Ambassador Stephen Rapp, confirmed here during his visit to the ICTR, noting that the price per head would be paid to anyone who will volunteer information leading to the arrest of all fugitives and not just the three most wanted on the list.

The three most sought after suspects are still at large and they include Mr Felicien Kabuga, the suspected chief financier of the Rwandan genocide, who for years the ICTR said was holed up in Kenya. Others are Mr Protais Mpiranya, the former commandant of the notorious Presidential Guard and former Minister of Defence, Mr Augustin Bizimana.

With six notorious fugitives still on the loose, the US is prepared to help the ICTR by dishing out 30 million US dollars (over 47bn/-) to people giving reliable information that will help the tribunal to bring the fugitives to justice. The tribunal is expected to wrap up its activities in Arusha come 2014.

Ambassador Rapp noted that the US funded Reward for Justice Programme has been effective and so far more than ten people have been paid bounty and a number of fugitives indicted by ICTR have been arrested due to information from informers.

"The US has helped ICTR to apprehend several fugitives under this programme. In other words the programme has been successful," said Justice Hassan-Bubakar Jallow, ICTR Chief Prosecutor. As of June 28 this year, ICTR, which was established in 1995, has indicted 92 individuals. One individual is currently on trial, 17 are appealing their sentences, and 10 have been acquitted and released.

Proceedings against four individuals were terminated after two died and after indictments against two were withdrawn. The cases against ten individuals have been transferred to national jurisdictions, one of which is pending appeal. The tribunal has finished proceedings against 33 individuals who are currently serving prison sentences, 11 who have finished their sentences and have been released, and three who have died while serving prison sentences.