Rwandan genocide suspect accused of burning children to death arrested by Dutch police


James Crisp
Wed, 4 October 2023 

Three hundred skulls were placed in lines outside a chapel in 1994 - Hulton Archive/Scott Peterson

A former military official accused of playing a key role in the massacre of nearly 30,000 people during the Rwandan genocide has been arrested in the Netherlands.

Dutch prosecutors said police had detained Pierre-Claver Karangwa, 67, on Tuesday as part of an investigation into his part in the 1994 genocide.

He was suspected of being involved in the burning down of a house with dozens of women and children inside, they said.

Rwanda has accused Mr Karangwa of playing a pivotal role in the slaughter of nearly 30,000 Tutsis in Mugina parish near the Rwandan capital Kigali in April 1994 and asked for his extradition in 2012.

Mr Karangwa, who has lived in the Netherlands since 1998, had his Dutch nationality revoked over the genocide accusations, theoretically paving the way for his extradition.

Last December, in a court case over his possible return to Rwanda, Mr Karangwa said he was innocent of the crimes he was accused of.

Around 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates died during the genocide - Getty/Mirrorpix

In June, the Dutch Supreme Court said he could not be extradited to face charges of crimes against humanity because he was an opposition politician and there was a risk he would not get a fair trial.

That ruling led to the Dutch investigation in a country where suspects of international crimes can be prosecuted if they have Dutch nationality or live in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has tried and convicted other Rwandan genocide suspects before under universal jurisdiction, and extradited three genocide suspects to stand trial in Kigali since 2016.

An estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and Hutu moderates were killed during Rwanda’s genocide, which was orchestrated by an extremist Hutu government and executed by local officials and ordinary citizens.

People prepare coffins containing newly discovered remains of 84,437 victims in 2019 - AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba

Following his arrest on Tuesday in the municipality of Ermelo, Dutch prosecutors linked Mr Karangwa to the killing of thousands of people “in an attack on a parish in Mugina” nearly three decades ago.

“After this attack, dozens of women and children were chased to a house, where they were burned alive,” they said.

“The former army officer who was arrested today is specifically suspected of involvement in the setting fire to this house.”

Last year, prosecutors said he had supplied the fuel for the fire, citing eyewitness testimonies.