‘Zim didn’t harbour Rwandan fugitive’

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday dismissed claims in some media reports alleging Zimbabwe was harbouring the most wanted Rwandese fugitive, Protais Mpiranya.

The late Rwandese fugitive was indicted in 2000 by the International Criminal Tribunal for his role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. His remains were allegedly found in Zimbabwe under the alias Ndume Sambao.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Fredrick Shava, said from day one, Zimbabwe cooperated fully with the investigating team.

He said contrary to the smear campaign peddled by both international mainstream and social media, seeking to portray Zimbabwe as aiding, abetting and hiding a fugitive, the Government actually assisted the UN Prosecutor in the identification of Mpiranya.

“The Government of Zimbabwe wishes to put on record that it met all its obligations under the international law,” he said.

“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.

“From day one, Zimbabwe cooperated fully with the investigation team, actually, the office of the UN Prosecutor responsible for tracking Rwandan fugitives and the Zimbabwean authorities established a joint task force to coordinate investigative activities and strengthen cooperation.”

Ambassador Shava said Zimbabwean authorities have consistently cooperated and adhered to the country’s international legal obligations.

“Zimbabwe actually took the following concrete and positive steps to facilitate the investigation on the whereabouts of Mpiranya:

Firstly, set up an Inter-Departmental Taskforce, with the mandate to investigate, chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade,” he said.

“Secondly, Zimbabwe worked with representatives of the Office of the UN Prosecutor and provided resources to fund the investigations of the activities of the Task Force.

“The country also comprehensively investigated leads on fugitive Mpiranya and followed-up on new leads, facilitated a visit to Zimbabwe by the UN Prosecutor and his meetings with the two Vice Presidents of Zimbabwe.

“Zimbabwe also shared the stage-by-stage investigation reports, summaries of interviews with suspects and documentary evidence from various sources and produced and submitted Task Force reports to the Office of the UN Prosecutor.”

Ambassador Shava said it was the Government of Zimbabwe which authorised, and participated, in the exhumation of Mpiranya’s remains when it was suspected that he was the one buried under a false name, Ndume Sambao.

“The Government actually secured the grave, issued certificates to authorise the extraction of DNA samples and for them to be taken outside the country to the Netherlands Forensic Institute for analysis,” he said.

“The Task Force, including Government pathologists and forensic experts, participated during the whole process.

“It was not possible for the UN Prosecutor’s Office to come, exhume and take the samples of a deceased person buried in Zimbabwe without the Government’s authority.”

Ambassador Shava added that Zimbabwe was not only cooperating and assisting the UN Mechanism but was also assisting Rwanda bilaterally and requests for extradition of some fugitives, allegedly believed to be in this country, were at various stages of processing.

“Under the Second Republic’s engagement and re-engagement policy, we agreed to cooperate with them as we had nothing to hide,” he said. “As the Government, we fulfilled our international obligations under the UN Charter by giving the UN team unlimited access to the grave and protected it.

“As a law-abiding nation, Zimbabwe will never harbour criminals and welcomes the findings from the DNA samples extracted from the fugitive and this outcome closes a sad chapter in the history of Rwanda and allows the country to move on.”