Man Charged with Hiding Genocide Past to Gain U.S. Citizenship

A 65-year-old man from Rwanda faces charges for allegedly concealing his involvement in the Rwandan genocide of 1994 to obtain U.S. citizenship.

Vincent Njigiiimhula was prosecuted last Friday by a federal jury in Ohio. The 1994 massacre saw the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals. It’s been reported that he made false statements about his past, denying any involvement in the violence while asserting that he had never faced persecution or committed crimes.

Njigiiimhula is alleged to have actively participated in the genocide, particularly in the Gihisi region and the town of Nyanza. Reports indicate that he provided weapons and transportation to members of the Hutu majority and directed them to hunt down and kill Tutsi individuals. Moreover, it was noted that he created barriers aimed at detaining Tutsis and misled those hiding, assuring them the violence had ceased. In reality, the killings continued unabated, with Tutsis being systematically eliminated.

Matthew Galeotti, the criminal director at the Department of Justice, mentioned that evidence indicates Njigiiimhula “instructed and encouraged murder during the genocide.”

He emphasized that the U.S. will not serve as a refuge for human rights violators: “Individuals like the defendant, who commit immigration fraud to mask their violent histories, will face legal consequences.”

Kelly Norris, an attorney from the Southern District of Ohio, stated that the charges claim Njigiiimhula “promoted the killing of Tutsis during the genocide while lying on his U.S. immigration applications.” Norris added that this kind of behavior is completely unacceptable.

There has been, interestingly, another case that surfaced in February involving a Rwandan man living in New York who was charged for similar reasons. He allegedly gained U.S. citizenship by concealing his role in the 1994 genocide.

In that instance, Faustin Nsabumukunzi faced accusations of attempting to hide his position as a local leader during the genocide from U.S. officials. Estimates suggest around 800,000 Tutsis lost their lives over the course of three months. During his first court appearance, Nsabumukunzi pleaded not guilty to several charges, including visa fraud, and was released on a $250,000 bail with specific conditions.

His attorney described him as a “law-abiding beekeeper and gardener” who had been living in Long Island for over two decades, arguing that he suffered greatly during the genocide, having lost numerous family members and friends.