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WORLD NEWS Monday 7 SepteMber 2020

Rwanda’s president says ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero must stand trial

By IGNATIUS SSUUNA will have to pay for these else," said Kagame.
Associated Press crimes.," said Kagame on a Kagame suggested that
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — broadcast in which he was Rusesabagina was told a
Rwanda's president says asked questions by some story that fit into his expec-
that the man portrayed local and foreign journalists tations and ended up in
as a hero in the film "Hotel and viewers. "Rusesabagi- Rwanda. "There was no kid-
Rwanda" will stand trial for na has the blood of Rwan- nap in the process of bring-
allegedly supporting rebel dans on his hands." ing Rusesabagina here. It
violence. He said Rusesabagina's tri- was actually flawless!" said
President Paul Kagame, al will be held openly and Kagame. "When the time
appearing on national tele- conducted fairly. comes he will tell the story
vision Sunday, did not ex- "We are obligated to do himself but he led himself
plain how Paul Rusesabagi- this," said Kagame. "We here." Kagame said oth-
na was brought to Rwanda want to do things in a right ers were Rusesabagina's
where he has been held way." Kagame did not ex- accomplices in alleged
in custody for more than plain how Rusesabagina, violent activities and have Paul Rusesabagina appears in front of media at the headquarters
a week. Rusesabagina is who had lived outside already been arrested and of the Rwanda Bureau of investigations building in Kigali, Rwanda
credited with saving 1,200 Rwanda since 1996 and are facing trial in Kigali, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020.
lives during Rwanda's 1994 is a citizen of Belgium and Rwanda's capital. Associated Press
genocide by letting peo- has a U.S. permanent resi- Rusesabagina's family and ernment's claim that it had Rusesabagina was award-
ple shelter in the hotel he dence permit, turned up in supporters, however, say talked to his sons about a ed the U.S. Presidential
was managing during the Rwanda last week but sug- Rwandan authorities have potential visit as "not true." Medal of Freedom in 2005
mass killings. Now he is ac- gested that he came of his denied him access to a "Paul's wife has called the for helping to save lives dur-
cused of supporting rebel own accord. lawyer nearly a week af- jail and has not been al- ing Rwanda's genocide in
violence in Rwanda and his "What if someone told you ter the outspoken govern- lowed to talk to him," it said which some 800,000 Tutsis
family and supporters com- that he brought himself — ment critic was paraded in on Saturday. and moderate Hutus were
plain that they have not even if he may not have handcuffs and accused of The family has said they be- killed.
been able to speak to him intended it? You will be terrorism. lieve he was "kidnapped" Rwandan authorities have
and that he has not had surprised how he got here. The Hotel Rwanda Ruse- during a visit to Dubai and not publicly shared any in-
access to a lawyer. He was not kidnapped or sabagina Foundation said that he would never know- ternational arrest warrant.
"Rusesabagina heads a hoodwinked. His coming Rusesabagina has had no ingly have boarded a They have referred to "in-
group of terrorists that to Rwanda has more to do consular visits, and it re- plane for Rwanda's capital, ternational cooperation"
have killed Rwandans. He with himself than anybody jected the Rwandan gov- Kigali. but given no details.q