Huye official arrested for concealing information on Genocide

The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has apprehended Consolation Tuyishime, a former Huye District councilor, for withholding vital information regarding the bodies of victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The bodies were discovered beneath a house and crop plantation in Ngoma sector, Huye District. The New Times reports

The initial discovery of six bodies occurred in October 2023, during construction work on a fence around the property owned by 86-year-old Jean Baptiste Hishamunda, who was also arrested in connection to the case.

Following the excavation of remains around the residence and kitchen, authorities opted to demolish the main house to facilitate further exhumation efforts, leading to the uncovering of additional bodies.

Subsequent searches in a crop plantation owned by another resident of the area, Mediatrice Uwimana have raised the total number of exhumed bodies to 975 as of February 21.

Thierry Murangira, spokesperson for RIB, disclosed to The New Times on Wednesday, February 21, that Tuyishime was taken into custody on Monday, February 19, subsequent to her resignation from the district council. Tuyishime also holds the position of site manager at Rukarara Hydropower station.

According to RIB, Tuyishime oversaw the construction of her mother’s house, where the bodies of genocide victims were discovered. Her mother, 61-year-old Seraphine Dusabemariya, inherited the land from Hishamunda, one of the arrested suspects.

“The case against Tuyishime is being compiled for submission to the prosecution,” Murangira revealed.

Other individuals arrested for concealing information include Petero Habimana (89), Mariani Musasangohe (50), Marie Josee Uwabega (53), and Mediatrice Uwimana (54). Sifa Nyirakiromba (68) was released, while the remaining suspects were arraigned in court and remanded for one month pending trial.

Dusabemariya, Musangangohe, and Uwabega are children of Jean Baptiste Hishamunda, while Habimana and Uwimana are neighbors of Dusabemariya.

According to testimonies, the area where the bodies were found was previously inhabited by soldiers of the genocidal regime, two of whom are reported to have committed genocide crimes, including Hishamunda’s son, who is currently serving a sentence in Huye prison after pleading guilty.

“Despite his guilty plea, he never disclosed information about the victims’ remains buried in mass graves on his property.”

Murangira issued a stern warning to individuals still withholding information about genocide victims’ bodies, three decades after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi devastated the country.

“We urge people to share any genocide-related information to enable survivors to provide a dignified burial for the victims’ bodies.”

Concealing information about genocide remains constitutes a crime under law n° 59/2018 of 22/8/2018 on genocide ideology and related crimes. Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 prohibit actions aimed at denying, undermining, or trivializing the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Upon conviction, perpetrators of such offenses face imprisonment ranging from seven to nine years, along with fines ranging from Rwf500,000 to Rwf1,000,000.