Fresh claims Kabuga still hiding in Kenya.
By Sukhdev Chhatbar

Rwanda genocide fugitive, Felicien Kabuga is still hiding in Kenya.

The spokesman of the Office of Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) claimed Kabuga’s last known address was in Kenya.

“The last known location of Kabuga [Kenya] has not changed … we stick to it,’’ said Dr Tim Gallimore during a press briefing on Thursday, quoting Hirondelle Agency.

The press conference was the first since the resumption of the trials at the UN Court following a one-month judicial vacation last month.

Gallimore also said the Prosecutor Hassan Jallow, had drawn attention of the UN Security Council to the issue since June, “but there has not been any action”.

Government spokesman Alfred Mutua challenged the ICTR spokesman to show them where Kabuga is.

“We would like him to come here and show us where Kabuga is,” said Dr Mutua.

Mutua said the prosecutor had made similar claims before.

In May the Government obtained court orders freezing some of his assets, including a block of houses, Spanish Villa, in Nairobi’s Kilimani area on Lenana Road.

It obtained the orders in a suit against Kabuga and his wife, Josephine Mukazitoni. The property generates Sh290, 000 every month.

High Court Judge, Justice Muga Apondi made the ruling after the Government identified several bank accounts and property Kabuga own.

Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko told the court proceeds from the estate helped the fugitive to evade capture. He said that the move was one of the policies put forward to make it hard for the renegade businessman to operate.

Unwarranted allegations

Mukazitoni, 66, says she is the owner of Spanish Villas, and that rent accruing from the property is deposited in her bank account.

Kabuga’s wife, who claims to be living in Belgium, says that she stands to suffer serious financial distress if the orders restraining her from collecting rent from the villas remain.

She further argues that the property in question is not a subject matter of proceedings at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The tribunal, in a strongly worded letter, told the†Kenyan Government that the recent step to freeze proceedings from a house belonging to Mr Kabuga was too little and too late.

Attorney-General Amos Wako responded to the tribunal by saying that the allegations by the prosecution, Richard Karegyesa, are unwarranted.

Wako’s letter was copied to the President of the Tribunal, Justice Dennis Byron, and the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.

Wako said the freezing of Kabuga’s property was a significant achievement.

Glance Box

Kabuga, 73, and wife engage in transport, real estate, hotels and farming. United States has put a US$5 million bounty on his head. Fugitive has been on the run since 1994 and is the high-profileest suspect.

ICTR dossier says Kabuga was last sighted in Kenya on June 28, 2006, at the Lavington residence of a former Cabinet minister. Kabuga frequents Europe, Madagascar, Gabon and Kenya.

Kabuga was in 1994 thrown out of Switzerland and went to the Democratic Republic of Congo before seeking refuge in Kenya.

Other aliases: Faracean Kabuga, Idriss Sudi, Abachev Straton, Anathase Munyaruga, or Oliver Rukundakuvuga.

Courtesy of:/www.eastandard.ne