The head of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)'s fugitive investigative support said Wednesday that the apprehension of Rwanda genocide fugitives still at large appears to be slow chiefly due to the time when the atrocities were committed.
Speaking at the closing of an international conference convened by Interpol and the Rwanda National Police on genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, Stephano Carvelli said apprehending fugitives who committed crimes decades ago can be challenging because the period allows fugitives ample time to find shelter, fake documents or change their identities.
Interpol has issued over 200 red notices at the request of the Rwandan government over time, but only 40 individuals have been identified and arrested in 14 countries.
They were arrested following the launch in 2004 of Interpol's Rwandan Genocide Fugitives Project, a collaborative effort with Interpol's National Central Bureau in Kigali, the Rwandan Prosecutor General and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
He also noted that the issuance of a red notice several years after atrocities was a challenge that could hold back their efficiency.
A long period has elapsed between committing a crime and the issuance of a red notice, he said, adding if a red notice is issued after 15 years or so it brings about a big challenge.
"Investigation of a crime committed 20 years ago is difficult to collect evidence because it could have been destroyed and maybe hard also to collect evidence about the possible location of a fugitive."
He, however, affirmed that they would do their best to see that all the fugitives of the genocide are brought to book.
Carvelli noted that the 40 arrests were a huge milestone in Interpol's perspective given the time the crimes were committed.
But he noted that it was the role of Interpol to facilitate the collection and the finding of information even when it concerns a person who disappeared 20 years ago and that they were ready for the task.
The meeting recommended that locating and apprehending the fugitives still at large who played part in the planning and perpetration of the genocide in Rwanda requires concerted efforts among member countries of the international police.
Interpol President Mireille Ballestrazzi and Secretary General Ronald K. Noble earlier on Monday met with President Kagame with who they discussed the important role played by the world police in helping Rwandan prosecutorial authorities and police in bringing Rwandan genocide fugitives to justice.
Kagame also pledged his country's ongoing support to Interpol, said a statement issued by the world police after the meeting.
Rwanda currently has three police officials seconded to Interpol – one at its General Secretariat Headquarters in Lyon, another at its Regional Bureau in Nairobi and a third at Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore.
The international conference brought together senior police officers and security officials from member countries of the world police to seek ways to bring to justice fugitives of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
