Kigali: A key piece of the mystery around the arrest of the man who inspired the film Hotel Rwanda was solved when a pastor told a Rwandan court on Friday (Saturday AEDT) that he worked with someone from the Rwanda Investigation Bureau to trick him onto a private plane from Dubai.
The pastor, Constantin Niyomwungere, alleged that Paul Rusesabagina, who now faces terror-related charges, had acknowledged that rebels backed by his opposition platform had killed Rwandans.
“Myself, the pilot and cabin crew knew we were coming to (the Rwandan capital) Kigali. The only person who didn’t know where we were headed was Paul,” Niyomwungere said.
Paul Rusesabagina lashed out in court at the pastor and former friend who told him the plane was going to neighbouring Burundi. Credit:AP
The 66-year-old Rusesabagina, once praised for saving hundreds of ethnic Tutsis from Rwanda’s 1994 genocide while a hotel manager, now faces nine charges including: the formation of an irregular armed group; membership in a terrorist group; financing terrorism; and murder, abduction and armed robbery as an act of terrorism.
If convicted, he could face more than 20 years in prison.
The case of Rusesabagina, a Belgian citizen, US resident and outspoken critic of longtime Rwandan President Paul Kagame, has drawn international concern. He disappeared in August during a visit to Dubai and was paraded in handcuffs days later in Rwanda.
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His family asserts that the charges against him are politically motivated. Rusesabagina asserts that he was kidnapped.
In court on Friday, Rusesabagina denounced the pastor Niyomwungere, whom he has said “betrayed” him.
