Dr Casimir Bizimungu
Two men who had for years failed to get a host country after being released by the court which was trying Rwandan genocide suspects, have secretly been transferred to Ghana.
Dr. Casimir Bizimungu – former foreign minister and Sylvain Nsabimana – former prefect of Butare prefecture, now part of Southern Province, arrived in Ghana on Friday last week.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which has now been replaced by the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) have been searching for new host countries for 11 people. Some had completed their sentences and others had been acquitted.
The individuals have been housed in a safe house in the northern Tanzania town of Arusha where the court was located. Despite pleas, countries have refused to accept any of them – even where their families are located.
Dr Casimir Bizimungu was acquitted in September 2011. While Sylvain Nsabimana was sentenced but had to be released as he had served all the time rendered.
According to media reports, the transfer of the two men was kept secret until the last minute at such a point they were even informed only minutes that they will be boarding plane for Ghana – and that it will be their new home.
