Group withdraw petition on Murekezi: Malawi probe Rwandan genocide suspects
As the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security was planning to meet and discuss the case of Rwandan genocide fugitive Vincent Murekezi following a petition by civil society, the petitioners have changed tune and withdrawn the petition.
Some Malawians calling themselves Concerned Citizens told reporters on Thursday, led by their chairperson Phillip Kamangira, that they will no longer be involved in issues of Murekezi.
Addressing a news conference at Bridge View Hotel in Lilongwe, the group said it has withdrawn their petition after conducting through investigations and concluded that there is some political mist to his issue.
Community that are residing in Malawi and would like to use Malawi as a battleground in settling their difference
“While Mr Murekezi need to answer to charges levelled against him and exonerate himself of the same, there are also indicators that he has been living in Malawi since 2013 and was part of entourage that welcomed His Excellency Paul Kagame the president of Rwanda at a time when the Paul Kagame Road was officially inaugurated in 2007. During that time they said 18 Rwandans who had criminal cases including genocide were arrested and deported”, Kamangira said.
One of the leaders of the grouping, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi said they investigated with the Genocide Tribunal Office in Arusha, Tanzania and discovered that out of 95 names indicted and on wanted list for genocide crimes, Vincent Murekezi does not appear and there’s $5million bounty on the fled suspects at large, saying it’s baffling that Murekezi has been living freely among the Rwandans community in Malawi regardless of such bounty.
“As a matter of fact, Murekezi is 48 years old now and if we do calculations genocide took place in 1994 which means he was in his 20s, if you go on Google or ask Rwanda government you will see that all the suspects who took part were in their thirties and forties then. This is a tribal war between Rwandan Community as you might aware that Murekezi is a Hutu but he married a Tutsi wife , how can he kill a tribe he married ?” said Mtumodzi.
Murekezi was arrested by police in Lilongwe on Thursday, a day after it transpired that the Rwandan government expressed concern over his prolonged stay in Malawi which he turned into a safe haven.
But according to Kigali, Murekezi was found guilty of crimes related to the 1994 genocide and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.
Murekezi also faces allegations that he was involved in criminal activities bordering on corruption together with Komani Nyasulu.
Civil society’s Bright Kampaundi said Murekezi, a wealthy businessman, should however face the due process of the law to answer the other charge of corruption.
Murekezi, who has lived in Malawi since 2003, initially applied for temporary residence permit after securing police clearance. He went on to apply for business permit, Permanent Residence Permit (2008) and citizenship in 2013.
Murekezi was granted citizenship under Citizenship Act Cap 1501 after paying US$5000. He made this payment on 9 March 2016.
The following day, he applied for a passport, which was also issued, according to Immigration Department public relations officer Joseph Chauwa.
Meanwhile, Rwandan authorities say up to 36 more fugitives are hiding in Malawi.
They have requested the Malawi Government to arrest and extradite them to answer charges on their roles in the genocide.
A published report said the request from Rwanda came after the Malawi government had ignored for many years, the extradition of Murekezi.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Beston Chisamile said government is currently investigating Rwandan Nationals living in the country to establish how many genocide suspects are.
“I don’t have much information on that but what we have done is from those claims we have launched investigations so it will be pre-emptive now to comment on the issue” said Chisamile on Capital Radio.
He however pointed out that they have not received any official communication form the Rwandan government to repatriate the said 36 genocide suspects.
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mtumodzi ndi anzake adya za murekezi
These so called Concern citizens are corrupt people we have heard already that you have pocketed millions shame on you, God will punish you badly , as you are enjoying the monies just know that God has seen you ,sure ndalama ziminezo Mona masoka a Kaulu My words has spoken
P
This kind of approach to issues is destroying our country in all aspects. For the love of money, we are destroying our country. If you were really serious about petitioning Gov. to send Murekezi back to his country, you should have done a thorough investigation before you went ahead with your petition. On this issue, you had the support of a lot of Malawians except for those who have some thing to hide in connection with Murekezi. By back tracking, it shows that you are involved in some thing fishy.
Mtumodzi this isn’t your issue. Your arguments are vague. have you not heard of child soldiers? Cant a 20 year boy not kill? dont you have men here who killed their wives? Don’t you know child soldiers are as young as ten years old. What is so special with this fugitive, right away from Immigration, Police to a minister are so protective? Who is behind his protection? You just want to ripe him off his money? You vipers. Let him go and face his jail term. Apite akakanire komweko ngati sangaphe nawo. Why dont you trust the Rwandan justice system.… Read more »
Only The War crime Tribunal in Arusha can verify as all arrest warrants were issued by the court and not Rwanda.If the court says Murekezi has no indictment over his head basi musiyeni he is a free soul
Mtumodzi and all, have shamelessly shown their ignorance, hutu men in Rwanda killed their wives and children. Some of us were there after the genocide. Before you open your mouth make sure you have enough information. The courts inRwanda have convicted and sentenced many genocidaires and are still doing it. To facilitate justice, the govt created the Gacaca system, inu ma journalist aku Malawi, simutha kupanga investigate, you are as shallow as your leaders, mxiiii.
Give unto Ceasar what belongs to Caesar. Give Kagame what belongs to him. Just repatriate this guy back to his country. Why should the Civil Society waste its time protectinga foreigner when it has failed to protect Malawians? Akuti in 1994 anali in his 20s so he can’t be a suspect, my foot! Don’t you know that a boy in his 20s is more dangerous? For instance, Yahya Jammeh overthrew Sir Dawda Jawara when he was only 27. Apa mwangoonetsa kuti nzeru mulibe komanso ndinu amphawi amene mumapempha through your organisations. It’s in black and white that mwapatsidwa ndalama. Ndipo… Read more »
Malawi must stand as a sovereign state full stop, nobody should think can just jump into malawi and tell the government I want that or I want this, Rwanda must know that we Malawian can be poor but we are independent, stop dictating this government on what you want as far as your politics in concerned.
Thank you concerned citizens in deed you are concerned about Malawi sovereignty.
These foolish thugs have pocketed money. How should you verify with Tanzania when Rwanda where Murekezi comes from says he is on wanted list? What is special with Tanzania? Should we be forced to conclude that you used Tanzania because that is where Simama who was previously connected to this issue comes from, and it is also where Murekezi had obtained a passport before the Malawian one? It seems these indacations are pointing at one direction that there are a lot in the case of Murekezi. Inu anthu adyera kwambiri ndi amene mukuwononga mbili yabwino ya civil society. Umphawi sikuti… Read more »
This guy in question is not mean in palm oiling his threats so lets not be fooled by those petitioners the issue here is that they have received their share so that they remain silent. Maluzi akusokoneza chilungamo pamalawi