Zimbabwe has denied hiding Rwanda fugitive Protais Mpiranya after it emerged that he died in 2006 and was buried in the country after living there for four years.
The 20-year search for one of the world’s most brutal killers ended decisively in an overgrown cemetery near Harare, but Zimbabwean authorities say they have not hidden his whereabouts.
“As a law-abiding nation, Zimbabwe will never shelter criminals and welcomes the findings of DNA samples taken from the fugitive,” Foreign Minister Frederic Shawa said in a statement Sunday.
He added that the Zimbabwean government had co-operated with UN investigators in the Mpiranya case.
“The Zimbabwean government wants to clarify some recent media reports suggesting that the government is hiding the most wanted Rwandan fugitive, Protais Mpiranya, whose remains were found in Zimbabwe under the pseudonym Ndume Sambao,” the statement said.
The grave is Protais Mpiranya, a fugitive suspected of genocide in Rwanda, buried under a false name
The body of Mpiranya, a former Rwanda presidential security commander accused of genocide, lay buried under a stone slab with a false name, which UN investigators tracked down and identified with lead found in a confiscated computer – a hand-painted design for Mpiranya’s tombstone. .
His remains were exhumed last month at the request of UN investigators, and his identity was confirmed by DNA analysis on Tuesday.
Authorities in Zimbabwe insist they co-operated in the investigation of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), an organization responsible for tracing fugitives, adding that Zimbabwe has joined a working group to co-ordinate the investigation.
“From day one, Zimbabwe has fully cooperated with the investigation team,” the statement said. “The Zimbabwean authorities have consistently cooperated and adhered to the country’s international legal obligations.
Authorities in Harare said they were involved in the exhumation of Mpiranya’s remains and allowed DNA samples to confirm his identity.
However, the government’s statement will raise eyebrows among those who followed the search. Investigators have long suspected that the fugitive is hiding in Zimbabwe and have repeatedly tried to persuade local authorities to extradite Mpiranya, investigate his activities or provide evidence of his death.
As early as December 2010, investigators reported to the UN Security Council that Mpiranya had ties to Zimbabwe and had lived there for a long time.
In 2012, under pressure from Kigali, Zimbabwean authorities acknowledged that the fugitive may be in their territory and promised to find him “alive or dead”. His presence in Zimbabwe was discussed in parliament, and local media listed possible aliases and addresses related to him.
IRMCT officials traveled to Zimbabwe months after President Robert Mugabe was ousted from power in November 2017, hoping the new government would prove more useful.
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However, in 2020, Serge Brammertz, an IRMCT prosecutor, told the Security Council that despite credible evidence of the whereabouts of key refugees, the lack of cooperation from governments remains a challenge, especially in East and South Africa.
According to the IRMCT, Mpiranya fled to Zimbabwe in 2002, where his entry was facilitated by local officials. He then brought collaborators and family to Zimbabwe, along with a series of “trusted subordinates.” For four years, Mpiranya managed to avoid arrest in Zimbabwe, where he lived in a wealthy area of Harare, and “continued his engagement with Zimbabwean military personnel” while receiving a series of visitors from abroad.
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