Rwandan genocide suspect remanded in custody
A Swedish court on Friday ordered a Rwandan man suspected of taking part in the 1994 genocide remanded in custody pending a possible extradition request from Kigali, the judge said.
"The court decided to remand him in custody. We will now inform the justice ministry and ultimately the government will decide whether to extradite him," judge Lars Lindström of the Solna district court told AFP.
The Swedish justice ministry will decide on a period of time during which Rwanda is free to submit an extradition request, with the legal maximum set at 40 days.
Lindström identified the man as Sylvere Ahorugeze, aged 52.
Ahorugeze, who is a resident of Denmark, was arrested on Wednesday after carrying out an errand at the Rwandan embassy in the Stockholm suburb of Solna.
Embassy staff allegedly recognized him as having been involved in the genocide.
Ahorugeze denied the accusations brought against him.
"My client says the claims are false, and they have already been thoroughly examined," the man's defense lawyer Tomas Nilsson told Swedish news agency TT.
Ahorugeze was accused of a similar crime in Denmark several years ago but was cleared, Swedish police spokesman Mats Eriksson told AFP after his arrest on Wednesday.
"There are apparently new circumstances now that have arisen and made him a wanted man again," Eriksson said.
According to public broadcaster Swedish Radio, Ahorugeze is suspected of murdering 25 Tutsis in a suburb of Kigali in April 1994. It said he was held in Danish custody for 11 months before being let go due to lack of evidence.
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"The court decided to remand him in custody. We will now inform the justice ministry and ultimately the government will decide whether to extradite him," judge Lars Lindström of the Solna district court told AFP.
The Swedish justice ministry will decide on a period of time during which Rwanda is free to submit an extradition request, with the legal maximum set at 40 days.
Lindström identified the man as Sylvere Ahorugeze, aged 52.
Ahorugeze, who is a resident of Denmark, was arrested on Wednesday after carrying out an errand at the Rwandan embassy in the Stockholm suburb of Solna.
Embassy staff allegedly recognized him as having been involved in the genocide.
Ahorugeze denied the accusations brought against him.
"My client says the claims are false, and they have already been thoroughly examined," the man's defense lawyer Tomas Nilsson told Swedish news agency TT.
Ahorugeze was accused of a similar crime in Denmark several years ago but was cleared, Swedish police spokesman Mats Eriksson told AFP after his arrest on Wednesday.
"There are apparently new circumstances now that have arisen and made him a wanted man again," Eriksson said.
According to public broadcaster Swedish Radio, Ahorugeze is suspected of murdering 25 Tutsis in a suburb of Kigali in April 1994. It said he was held in Danish custody for 11 months before being let go due to lack of evidence.
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