Rose Kabuye, director general of state protocol in the Rwandan government was yesterday arrested in Frankfurt, Germany, over November 2006 arrest warrants issued by French judge Jean-Louis Bruguière for actions that triggered off the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.Ms Kabuye, who was in Germany on official duty, preparing for Mr Kagame’s visit to the European country was to be extradited to France, to face trial

Strongly Protested by the Rwandan Government

Rwanda minister of information Louise Mushikiwabo, at a press conference, said the Rwandan government had through a diplomatic protest note served onto the Germany embassy in Kigali, objected to the arrest of Ms Kabuye, accusing the German government of bias, having failed to extradite two Hutu extremist elements, to face trial before the Rwanda genocide tribunal.

Judge Bruguière in November 2006 stirred controversy with his call for the prosecution of President Paul Kagame for actions alleged to have triggered the 1994 genocide.
Judge Bruguière said, Mr Kagame, whose Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country after the 100-day genocide that saw the slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, should stand trial at the United Nations’ International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, ICTR.
Bruguière wants Kagame charged with bringing down the plane of former Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana with ground-to-air missiles on April 6, 1994. Three French crew member died with Habyarimana aboard his Falcon jet, together with the then president of neighboring Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamire.

Judge Bruguière was unable to indict Mr Kagame because under French law sitting heads of state enjoy immunity from prosecution but the French judge also issued arrest warrants for nine of Kagama’s top aides, including Ms Kabuye.
The others are James Kabarebe, the head of the military, Charles Kayonga, army chief of staff; Faustin Jyamwasa-Kayumba, ambassador to India; Jackson Nkurunziza, of presidential guard; Samuel Kanjyamera, an RPF parliamentary deputy; Jacob Tumwime, an army officer; Franck Nziza, a Presidential Guard officer and Eric Hakizimana, an intelligence officer.

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