A Rwandan national believed to be a fugitive wanted in connection with the 1994 genocide will be applying for political asylum in Cape Town.
Fulgence Kayishema made a brief appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court today. He faces more than 50 charges.
The matter was postponed to the 18th of August for further investigation, and for the State to obtain a centralisation certificate.
Interpol and the United Nations have been looking for Kayishema for over 20 years, for allegedly committing genocide and crimes against humanity in Rwanda.
The 62-year-old was arrested in Paarl last month where he worked in one of the wine farms. His attorney, Advocate Juan Smuts says the application for asylum could be a lengthy process.
“The application gets filed online and then we will be waiting for an agreed date and time for him to appear and have his interview. It’s very difficult to say. If I look at the dates at the moment, you looking at a date in 2025, unless they are prepared to facilitate and bring the date forward, but in all applications at this stage you looking at 2025, before you can have your interview. I think in this case it will most probably be fast tracked.”
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