Keypoints:
- Rwandan genocide suspect arrested in New York
- Lived quietly as a gardener and beekeeper
- Faces 30 years for alleged immigration fraud
A RWANDAN man who had been living a quiet life as a beekeeper in the United States has been arrested for allegedly concealing his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, according to a report by the BBC.
Faustin Nsabumukunzi, 65, was arrested on Thursday at his home in Bridgehampton, New York. The US Department of Justice said he is accused of committing ‘heinous acts of violence abroad’ while serving as a local leader during the genocide, in which approximately 800,000 people were killed in just 100 days.
According to the BBC, Nsabumukunzi is also facing charges of visa fraud and attempted naturalisation fraud, related to allegedly lying in his immigration and citizenship applications to hide his past.
Prosecutors say he set up roadblocks to detain and kill Tutsis, and directed groups of armed Hutus to carry out attacks. A Rwandan genocide court reportedly convicted him in absentia and sentenced him to life in prison.
Prosecutors allege 20 years of deception
Federal prosecutors told the BBC that Nsabumukunzi used false statements to obtain refugee status when he entered the United States in 2003, and repeated the lies when applying for permanent residency and later, citizenship.
‘Nsabumukunzi repeatedly lied to conceal his involvement in the horrific Rwandan genocide while seeking to become a lawful permanent resident and citizen of the United States,’ said federal prosecutor John Durham.
‘For over two decades, he got away with those lies and lived in the United States with an undeserved clean slate,’ prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York said in court filings.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $250,000 bond with conditions including home detention and GPS monitoring. Despite the serious charges, he will reportedly be allowed to continue working as a gardener while awaiting trial.
A quiet life in the Hamptons
The BBC reported that Nsabumukunzi had quietly resettled in an exclusive enclave on Long Island, working with bees and gardens. He had previously been profiled in The New York Times in 2006, which said he had once overseen 150 beekeepers and 1,500 hives in Rwanda.
In the US, he worked with Hamptons Honey Company, helping to scale up production. However, the company’s owner, Gabriel Alfaya, told the Times he had no knowledge of Nsabumukunzi’s employment or presence.
Nsabumukunzi’s lawyer, Evan Sugar, told the Associated Press his client is innocent and maintains he was a victim of the genocide, not a perpetrator. Sugar said Nsabumukunzi lost many relatives during the violence and that he had lawfully obtained refugee status.
‘He plans to fight these 30-year-old allegations,’ Sugar added.
Rwanda continues global pursuit of suspects
Several genocide suspects have been arrested across the globe in recent years as Rwanda intensifies efforts to bring fugitives to justice. The country continues to call on international partners to cooperate in identifying and prosecuting those accused of taking part in the 1994 killings.
The genocide was largely carried out by Hutu extremists targeting the Tutsi minority. In its aftermath, the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front came to power, with some reports of retaliatory killings further complicating the national reconciliation process.
President Paul Kagame recently reiterated that the world failed Rwanda in 1994 and stressed the need for sustained accountability.
Nsabumukunzi faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the charges in the United States — not for genocide directly, but for allegedly lying to immigration officials to conceal his past.
