An infamous Rwandan fugitive, Ukiliho Kayishema Fulgence, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Friday on multiple charges related to fraud and immigration violations, after being arrested in Paarl on Wednesday (24 May) in connection with genocidal crimes in Rwanda.
A trusted source told Paarl Post this successful manhunt of this Rwandan fugitive over the past two decades was thanks to global collective efforts, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Interpol, as well as the South Africa Operational Task Team, namely Crime Intelligence, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Western Cape Department of Immigration in Paarl.
According to News24, the 61-year-old Fulgence was arrested on an Interpol Red Notice which was issued by the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
He is charged with genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide and crimes against humanity.
Spokesperson for the Hawks Brigadier Thandi Mbambo told the online publication that “according to the arrest warrant issued, the fugitive was the police inspector in Rwanda who allegedly played a significant role in the planning and execution of genocide, where more than 2 000 people were killed in 1994.”
BBC News reported that the former police inspector was charged in 2001 because of an incident in which more than 2 000 Tutsi men, women and children were killed inside a Catholic church, where they had sought refuge during the Rwandan genocide, which saw some 800 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus killed.
Other sources additionally allege that this “world’s most wanted genocide fugitive worked as a security guard in Cape Town”, but this has not yet been confirmed.
But for now Fulgence faces two counts of fraud and three counts of transgression of the Immigration Act of South Africa, this according to the Hawks’ Regional Communications Manager, Eric Ntabazalila.
He explained the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court had granted the state a seven-day postponement to continue with its investigation, as it sought to add more charges against Fulgence.
“The state alleges that on 20 January 2000 the accused unlawfully, falsely and with intent to defraud and to prejudice the Department of Home Affairs gave out and pretended to be Fulgence Dende-Minana, and that he was a Burundian national.”
On 10 June 2004 he again gave out and pretended to be the same alias when applying for formal recognition of refugee status.
The state also charges the accused on two counts of contravention of Section 49 (1)(a) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, read with Section 1 (1) of the Act in that on 24 May 2023, he unlawfully and wrongfully remained in the country after his refugee status expired on 9 June 2006.
He also unlawfully and wrongfully for purposes of entering and remaining in the country, made false representation by conduct, statement, or otherwise.
“He was also charged with contravention of Section 37(b) of the Refugees Act 130 0f 1998, read with Section 1 of the said act in that on 24 May 2023, he unlawfully and wrongfully failed to comply with or contravened the conditions subject to which any visa had been issued to him under the act,” Ntabazalila added.
In Court on Friday Adv Nathan Adriaanse argued it was in the interests of justice for the court to grant a postponement. He added the state would oppose the accused’s bail application for three reasons: “There is a warrant of arrest issued against the accused issued on 8 March 2019. He is seeking to be indicted on four charges which are genocide, complicity in the genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, and extermination as a crime against humanity. We are going to oppose bail as we intend to add more charges related to the Immigration and Refugees Act as more evidence was obtained during his arrest.”
He also informed the court that a centralisation certificate will be obtained to prosecute the accused in Cape Town. The first two crimes were committed in Cape Town and the last three in Paarl, which would have necessitated the accused to appear in the Cape Town and Bellville magistrates’ courts.
The court agreed with the application and further ordered that the address the accused was arrested at not be publicised.
Fulgence is being detained at Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison until his next appearance, which has been postponed to Friday (2 June) for further investigation.
