Rwanda calls on Canada to extradite genocide suspect

Rwanda has requested the government of Canada to extradite Henri Jean-Claude Seyoboka, a genocide suspect who has eluded justice for the last two decades.

Seyoboka, who has been living in the North American country since 1996, is facing tough times following revocation of his refugee status by the Canadian government after learning that he could have participated in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which left more than one million murdered in cold blood.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Faustin Nkusi, Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) spokesperson, said that Rwanda is requesting the Canadian government to speed up extradition of Seyoboka.

"Investigations discovered Seyoboka was a soldier during the genocidal regime and sought asylum in Canada, but he had failed to mention his links to the army. Evidence pinning him for participating in the genocide has been gathered by investigators from both the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and Canadian courts," said the spokesperson.

"We are requesting the government of Canada to cooperate in this case as they always do, and we see the extradition of Seyoboka soon to Rwanda to face justice."

Nkusi stated that the genocide suspect is accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

He noted that Gacaca courts had tried Seyoboka case and handed him a 19-year jail sentence for genocide crimes.

Gacaca courts are homegrown courts which tried over two million cases related to crimes committed during the 1994 genocide.

Seyoboka, 49, is an employee at Canadian Tire in Aylmer. He attended military school in Kigali and remained part of the ex-government armed forces while in university.

Seyoboka has fought extradition for many years on the grounds that he could face torture in case he was deported, but the Canadian officials dismissed his claims.

In 2012, Canada deported Leon Mugesera to Rwanda. He was found guilty of crimes related to the 1994 genocide and sentenced to life in prison.

Source: XINHUA