Government sets record straight on Rwandese fugitive

Government sets record straight on Rwandese fugitive

Hosia Mviringi

The government has responded to misleading widespread social media messages alleging that Zimbabwe has knowingly harboured Mr Protais Mpiranya, a Rwandese national who has been on the run from the law for 20 years.

In a press statement, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Frederick Shava refuted accusations that Zimbabwe refused to cooperate with United Nations investigators and prosecutors during investigations.

On the contrary, Zimbabwe has been an active actor and cooperating partner in the endeavour to locate him and to get him to face justice for crimes committed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide which claimed millions of lives, maimed and displaced millions more.

“The government of Zimbabwe wishes to put it on record that it met all its obligations under the international law. Zimbabwe fully cooperated with the UN Residual Mechanism in its investigations of the Rwandese fugitive who was indicted in 2000 by the international Criminal Tribunal for his role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide,” said Minister Shava.

Minister Shava revealed that the authorities in Zimbabwe actually cooperated fully with the investigations team and that the country established a joint taskforce with the office of the UN Prosecutor responsible for tracking down Rwandan fugitives to coordinate investigative activities and strengthen cooperation.

This was in fulfilment of the country’s international legal obligations.

“Zimbabwe actually took the following concrete steps to facilitate the investigation on the whereabouts of Mpiranya;

Provided resources to find the investigative activities if the Taskforce, facilitates the visit to Zimbabwe by the UN Prosecutor and his meetings with the two Vice Presidents of Zimbabwe, shared stage by stage investigation reports, summaries of interviews with suspects and documentary evidence from various sources and produced and submitted Taskforce Reports to the Office of the UN Prosecutor,” added Minister Shava.

Minister Shava said that it was indeed the government of Zimbabwe which authorised and participated in the exhumation of Mpiranya’s suspected remains when information gathered had suggested that he was the one buried under a false name of Ndume Sambao.

Government secured the grave and issued certificate authorising exhumation and extraction of DNA samples for them to be taken to the Netherlands Forensic Institute for analysis.

“We were not only cooperating and assisting the UN Mechanism but we are also assisting Rwanda bilaterally and request for extradition for some fugitives allegedly believed to be in Zimbabwe are at various stages of processing,” said Minister Shava.

“Contrary to some campaign peddled by both international mainstream media and social media seeking to portray Zimbabwe as aiding, abetting, and hiding, fugitive, the government of Zimbabwe actually assisted the UN Prosecutor in the identification of Mpiranya. As facts above can confirm, Zimbabwe was always there to assist throughout the whole process,” he added.

Minister Shava said the spirit of engagement and engagement, Zimbabwe agreed to fully cooperate with the UN Prosecutors, as the country had nothing to hide.