“The defence informed the court today [Friday] that ... their client has been moved from Pollsmoor Prison to Helderstroom Prison, Caledon, which made it difficult for them to consult.
“The defence requested the case to be postponed for them to consult their client. The state did not oppose the request as it was in the interest of justice.”
Kayishema is alleged to have orchestrated the killing of about 2,000 Tutsi refugees — women, men, children and elderly — at the Nyange Catholic Church during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The church was set on fire using petrol and bulldozed.
He was described as “the world’s most wanted genocide fugitive”, according to the UN's International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
The NPA on Friday named him as Ukiliho Kayishema Fulgence. The case was postponed to June 20 for consultation and for the defence to indicate whether they intend to apply for bail.
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Rwandan genocide suspect Fulgence Kayishema facing 54 charges in SA
Image: Reuters/Nic Bothma
Rwandan genocide suspect Fulgence Kayishema — accused of ordering the brutal death of 2,000 people in a church — appeared in the Cape Town magistrate’s court on Friday facing 54 charges.
He was arrested in May under a false name on a grape farm in Paarl in the Western Cape, where he worked as a security guard. He had been on the run since 2001 and was hunted for years by Rwanda's International Criminal Tribunal.
He was a loved and trusted confidant of the Afrikaans family he lived with in Paarl, the Sunday Times reported.
“Initially the state charged him with two counts of fraud and three of contravention of the Immigration Act,” Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said on Friday.
The state has increased the number of charges to 54, which comprises:
“The state provided the comprehensive charge sheet to the defence on Tuesday.
Rwandan genocide suspect Fulgence Kayishema remains in custody while state formulates charges
“The defence informed the court today [Friday] that ... their client has been moved from Pollsmoor Prison to Helderstroom Prison, Caledon, which made it difficult for them to consult.
“The defence requested the case to be postponed for them to consult their client. The state did not oppose the request as it was in the interest of justice.”
Kayishema is alleged to have orchestrated the killing of about 2,000 Tutsi refugees — women, men, children and elderly — at the Nyange Catholic Church during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The church was set on fire using petrol and bulldozed.
He was described as “the world’s most wanted genocide fugitive”, according to the UN's International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
The NPA on Friday named him as Ukiliho Kayishema Fulgence. The case was postponed to June 20 for consultation and for the defence to indicate whether they intend to apply for bail.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
Rwanda suspect denies killings but 'sorry' over genocide
Rwandan ‘genocidaire’ worked on Paarl wine farm as security guard
Rwandan genocide suspect arrested in Western Cape protests his innocence
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