WASHINGTON DC —
Zimbabwean police said Wednesday they had received a number of leads on the whereabouts of a Rwandese fugitive wanted in connection with the 1994 genocide and believed to be hiding in the Southern African country.
In a statement Tuesday, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) asked for public cooperation in their hunt for Protais Mpiranya, who is wanted by the United Nations-backed International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
Officer Commanding CID Homicide Section, Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi, told VOA Studio 7 on Wednesday that they were now analyzing leads from members of the public following their public appeal.
"We are now acting on a number of leads that we received since yesterday (Tuesday)," Magwezi said without elaboration, adding that the matter is “very sensitive.”
In an earlier interview with the AFP, the police chief declared: "We want him dead or alive."
The Rwandan Tribunal has a $5 million bounty on Mpiranya’s head for his involvement in the 1994 killings of some 800,000 people from the minority Tutsi ethnic group. The genocide shook the whole world.
Mpiranya was in charge of the Rwandan presidential guard battalion during the massacre.
Police say he is living under false identities including Theophase Mahuku, Patrick Sambo and Jairus Kakule.
There are reports that he may have enjoyed, or is still enjoying protection from some senior Zimbabwean officials.
Human rights campaigner and political commentator Effie Dlela Ncube told VOA that Mpiranya should be arrested and brought to justice.
In a statement Tuesday, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) asked for public cooperation in their hunt for Protais Mpiranya, who is wanted by the United Nations-backed International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
Officer Commanding CID Homicide Section, Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi, told VOA Studio 7 on Wednesday that they were now analyzing leads from members of the public following their public appeal.
"We are now acting on a number of leads that we received since yesterday (Tuesday)," Magwezi said without elaboration, adding that the matter is “very sensitive.”
In an earlier interview with the AFP, the police chief declared: "We want him dead or alive."
The Rwandan Tribunal has a $5 million bounty on Mpiranya’s head for his involvement in the 1994 killings of some 800,000 people from the minority Tutsi ethnic group. The genocide shook the whole world.
Mpiranya was in charge of the Rwandan presidential guard battalion during the massacre.
Police say he is living under false identities including Theophase Mahuku, Patrick Sambo and Jairus Kakule.
There are reports that he may have enjoyed, or is still enjoying protection from some senior Zimbabwean officials.
Human rights campaigner and political commentator Effie Dlela Ncube told VOA that Mpiranya should be arrested and brought to justice.
