Arrestation de Kwitonda Thaddée en Ouganda

Police Nabs Fugitive Genocide Suspect

By Stanley Ndawula   & Justine Ayebazibwe:

Source: Redpepper

Kwitonda’s luck run out this morning

Police in Kampala have arrested Thadee Kwitonda, 51, one of the most wanted suspects of the infamous 1994 Rwanda genocide that claimed close to one million lives.

The capture, which the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura described as a “good development” was conducted today mid-morning near Belgium Embassy in Kampala.

The 30-minute operation was conducted by a seven-member team commanded by CP Tumuhimbise, the General Crimes Commissioner at Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Directorate (CIID).

“It is a good development but I am yet to be briefed of the operation’s details,” Kayihura, also the Uganda Police Force (UPF)’s top spokesperson told Red Pepper yesterday afternoon.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) Commander Andrew Felix Kaweesi said Kwitonda has been under security surveillance for some time.

A former top Rwanda Investigator, Kwitonda had reportedly denounced his Rwandese nationality to a Belgian and he is reportedly attached to Kampala Belgium Embassy at Rwenzori Towers along Nakasero Road, Kampala.

Kaweesi reiterated that his (Kwitonda) capture was a fertile development in terms of Rwanda-Uganda renewed ties.

Upon his arrest, the bespectacled Kwitonda was rushed in a white police double-cabin to Special Investigations Unit from (SIU) where Tumuhimbise ardently protected him of cameras. Later, a team of ten detectives interrogated him for one hour before he was whisked to Immigration Department for expatriation.

The move was overturned by Kaweesi who questioned Tumuhimbise’s move of protecting against the media, an internationally wanted criminal suspect. He was briefly returned to SIU where, a few journalists stole a glance at him.

Clad in a grayish suit, white-black stripped shirt and in blue socks and slippers a, the ageing Kwitonda looked every inch composed and cooperative with the Detectives orders but with suppressed traces of worry on his face.

Kaweesi said he was arrested on an International Warrant of Arrest which was issued by Belgium some time ago. By 4pm yesterday, he was yet to be thrown onto the next plain to Belgium.