Exiled general shot in Johannesburg

In an extraordinary twist to the ongoing fallout from the 1994 Rwanda genocide, this weekend's assassination attempt on an exiled general in Johannesburg has dragged yet another country into the saga.

Legalbrief reports that while several European countries are actively involved in apprehending genocide suspects, SA has been relatively unaffected - until now. Six people have been arrested in connection with the shooting of General Kayumba Nyamwasa, who is accused of terrorism in his homeland. BBC News reports that France and Spain had issued arrest warrants against Nyamwasa for his alleged role in the lead-up to and during the genocide, along with other senior Rwandan Patriotic Front figures. Nyamwasa was admitted to hospital after being shot in the stomach in the driveway of his Melrose Arch home on Saturday afternoon. The Star reports that police spokesperson Brigadier Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said the suspects would face charges of attempted murder. He declined to give further details of the arrests as he did not want to jeopardise ongoing investigations. The Times has established that Nyamwasa was being driven in a black BMW X3 with his wife from the Blue Bird shopping centre when a man, on foot, followed their car into their complex. Security personnel at the complex tried to prevent the man from entering the complex but he ignored them. 'The man clung onto the window while the car was moving. He then pulled out a firearm, cocked it and fired a single shot at Nyamwasa,' said an insider.


Nyamwasa's wife Rosette, who was with him when the attack occurred, has blamed Rwandan President Paul Kagame for the shooting. Kagame and Nyamwasa were close associates until a dispute early this year. According to a report on the IoL site, the Rwandan Government had linked Nyamwasa, who came to SA earlier this year, to three grenade attacks in Rwanda's capital in February. The attacks in central Kigali killed one person and injured 30. The Rwandan Government has accused Nyamwasa of trying to destabilise Rwanda while he was in the country and while he was in India where he recently served as Rwanda's ambassador. In February, during a summit in Kigali for Rwandan envoys from around the world, Nyamwasa fled through Uganda and Kenya after falling out with Kagame and the Rwandan Patriotic Front leadership. The Monitor reports that he eventually sought asylum in SA which has declined to extradite him as requested by Rwandan authorities after President Jacob Zuma said his country was obliged to respect international law on asylum seekers. In a statement from Rwanda on Sunday, Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said her government was not involved in the crime and it heard of it through the medi