Africa

Rwandan genocide suspect arrested in S.Africa, to face extradition hearing

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2023

Fulgence Kayishema

Rwandan genocide suspect arrested in S.Africa, to face extradition hearing

A Rwandan man accused of ordering the killing of some 2,000 Tutsis who were seeking refuge in a church during the 1994 genocide has been arrested in South Africa, a UN war crimes tribunal and South African police said on Thursday.

Former police officer Fulgence Kayishema had been on the run since 2001, when the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) indicted him for genocide over his role in the destruction of the Nyange Catholic Church in Kibuye Prefecture.

“His arrest ensures that he will finally face justice for his alleged crimes,” said Serge Brammertz, prosecutor at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), which has replaced the ICTR since it wound up in 2008.

An elite South African police unit known as the Hawks said its officers had arrested Kayishema, who was living under the false name Donatien Nibashumba, at a grape farm in Paarl, in Western Cape province, on Wednesday.

Kayishema will stay in custody and appear in Bellville Magistrate’s court on Friday, pending his extradition to Rwanda, the unit said in a statement.

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Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said the arrest sent a powerful message to those who commit crimes like Kayishema’s.

“Ending impunity is essential for peace, security and justice,” he said in a statement.

In her first comment on the arrest, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo tweeted: “Finally.”

An estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates were killed during Rwanda’s genocide, orchestrated by an extremist Hutu regime and meticulously executed by local officials and ordinary citizens in the rigidly hierarchical society.

“Seeing these people arrested brings healing to the survivors,” said Naphtal Ahishakiye, executive secretary of Ibuka, an umbrella group representing survivors.

Kayishema has been on the U.S. State Department’s wanted list under the Rewards for Justice Programme, with a $5 million reward offered for his arrest.

Brammertz said the investigation that led to his arrest spanned multiple countries in Africa and beyond, and was made possible through the support of South African authorities.

In May 2020, another mastermind of the genocide, Felicien Kabuga, was arrested in France after 26 years on the run.

Kayishema’s arrest means there are now only three fugitives indicted by the international tribunal whose whereabouts remain unknown, though Makolo said Rwanda considers that a greater number of suspects have yet to be caught.

“Nearly 30 years later, we have a long list of Rwandan genocide fugitives still at large in several countries around the world,” she told Reuters.

“We will continue to work with partner states and institutions to ensure that they are held to account.” (Reuters/NAN)

Related Topics:Fulgence Kayishema genocide Rwandan

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Ghanaian ‘Noah’ Explains Why Christmas Flood Prophecy Failed to Happen

Published

6 days ago

December 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Ghanaian ‘Noah’ Explains Why Christmas Flood Prophecy Failed to Happen

A Ghanaian man, Ebo Noah, who drew global attention after building a massive wooden ark and predicting a catastrophic flood from December 25, has explained why the foretold disaster did not occur.

Ebo, who went viral in August after unveiling the structure known as the Ebo Noah Ark, had claimed he received a divine revelation warning of three years of devastating rainfall that would begin on Christmas Day and wipe out the world. He urged the public to repent and prepare for the impending calamity.

The prophecy and videos showing the construction and expansion of the ark attracted widespread media coverage and visitors from across Ghana and beyond, drawing comparisons with the biblical Noah.

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However, in a video message released on Thursday, Ebo said he later received a fresh revelation following periods of prayer, fasting and consultations with other religious leaders.

According to him, the new vision revealed that the number of people expected to seek refuge in the ark from around the world was far greater than its capacity, prompting him to appeal for divine intervention.

Ebo said he was subsequently granted more time to build additional arks to accommodate everyone, explaining that this was why the prophesied Christmas flood did not occur.

He also cautioned members of the public against rushing to the ark’s location, stressing that he was not selling tickets or collecting money from anyone.

Urging calm during the festive season, Ebo encouraged people to remain at home, enjoy the holidays and continue to repent, insisting that his message remained valid.

“Stay home. Enjoy yourself. Have fun. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The ark is still there. Repent,” he said.

Ghanaian ‘Noah’ Explains Why Christmas Flood Prophecy Failed to Happen

Africa

Five Dead as Helicopter Crashes During Medical Evacuation on Mount Kilimanjaro

Published

6 days ago

December 25, 2025

Trends Admin

Five Dead as Helicopter Crashes During Medical Evacuation on Mount Kilimanjaro

At least five people have died after a helicopter crashed on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, in northern Tanzania, authorities have confirmed.

The crash occurred on Wednesday evening along one of the mountain’s most popular climbing routes during what police described as a medical evacuation mission. The helicopter went down between Barafu Camp and Kibo Summit, at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres (13,100 feet).

According to the Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander, Simon Maigwa, those killed include two foreign nationals who were being evacuated for medical reasons, as well as a local doctor, a tour guide, and the pilot.

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Police said the aircraft was operated by Kilimanjaro Aviation, a company that provides medical evacuation and aviation services in the region. The company had not issued a statement at the time of filing this report.

The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) confirmed on Thursday that it has launched a full investigation into the incident, in line with international aviation safety standards, to determine the circumstances and probable cause of the crash.

Authorities noted that aircraft accidents on Mount Kilimanjaro are rare, with the last recorded helicopter crash occurring in November 2008, when four people were killed.

Police said more information would be released as investigations continue.

Five Dead as Helicopter Crashes During Medical Evacuation on Mount Kilimanjaro

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Africa

Libyan Army Chief of Staff, Senior Officers Killed in Plane Crash in Turkey

Published

1 week ago

December 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Chief of General Staff of the Libyan Army, Mohammed al-Haddad

Libyan Army Chief of Staff, Senior Officers Killed in Plane Crash in Turkey

Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, has confirmed the death of the Chief of General Staff of the Libyan Army, Mohammed al-Haddad, and several senior military officials in a plane crash in Turkey on Tuesday.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Dbeibah expressed deep grief over the incident, describing the deaths as a tragic national loss. “It is with deep sadness and great sorrow that we learnt of the death of the Libyan army’s chief of general staff,” the prime minister said.

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According to Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, the wreckage of the aircraft was discovered by the Turkish gendarmerie after it crashed shortly after taking off from Ankara, following an official visit by the Libyan delegation.

Dbeibah disclosed that the aircraft was carrying other high-ranking military officers as well as a photographer, all of whom were killed in the crash.

Haddad, who had served as Libya’s army chief of general staff since August 2020, was appointed during the tenure of former Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. He was widely regarded as a key figure in Libya’s fragile security architecture.

Describing the victims as patriots, Dbeibah said Libya had lost men who served with “loyalty and dedication”, adding that they exemplified discipline, responsibility and national commitment.

Authorities in both Libya and Turkey are expected to release further details as investigations into the airplane accident continue.