Death of Rwandan Genocide Suspect Felicien Kabuga in Custody

Felicien Kabuga, a key suspect in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, has died at age 93 while in U.N. custody. Arrested in France in 2020, Kabuga was deemed unfit for trial due to dementia. He was accused of inciting violence and supporting Hutu militias through media.

Felicien Kabuga, a prominent figure wanted for his alleged role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has passed away in custody at the age of 93, according to a statement released by a U.N. court on Saturday.

Kabuga was apprehended in France in 2020 after evading capture for over two decades. Subsequently, he was extradited to The Hague but declared unfit for trial due to dementia. His deteriorating health prevented a return to Rwanda, leaving him in a U.N. detention center in The Hague. The court has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Once a businessman and radio station owner, Kabuga was among the last remaining fugitives sought in connection to the genocide where Hutu extremists massacred over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus within 100 days. He is accused of inciting hate through his broadcast outlet, Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines, and aiding in the arming of ethnic Hutu militias.