BOSTON — Eric Tabaro Nshimiye, a 52-year-old resident of Uniontown, Ohio, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly hiding his participation in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, during which over 800,000 individuals were killed. The indictment also includes charges of obstruction of justice and perjury related to his testimony in a 2019 trial of another Rwandan genocide perpetrator.
Nshimiye is accused of taking part in the brutal murders of Tutsi men, women, and children, utilizing a nail-studded club and a machete to commit the crimes. These allegations stem from his time as a medical student and a member of the MRND political party and its youth wing, the Interahamwe, both of which played significant roles in inciting the genocide.
Following the genocide, Nshimiye fled Rwanda and allegedly provided false information to U.S. immigration officials to gain entry into the United States as a refugee in 1995. Over the years, he is said to have continued deceiving authorities to obtain lawful permanent residence and ultimately U.S. citizenship, effectively concealing his alleged crimes and living in Ohio since then.
Additionally, Nshimiye is charged with obstructing justice and committing perjury during the trial of Jean Leonard Teganya by denying both his and Teganya’s participation in the genocide. This indictment underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to pursuing justice for victims of international crimes and holding individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of the time elapsed.