France Orders Trial of Rwandan Officer Over Alleged Role in 1994 Genocide

Paris, April 9, 2026 - France’s judiciary has ordered the trial of Rwandan Lt. Col. Cyprien Kayumba over his alleged involvement in the Genocide against the Tutsi, reversing an earlier decision that had closed the case.

The ruling was issued by the investigative chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal, which determined that Kayumba should face charges of complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity. The decision follows an appeal by the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT), which argued that key evidence had been overlooked.

Kayumba, 71, served as a senior officer responsible for financial operations, foreign procurement, and arms distribution within Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence before and during the 1994 genocide. Investigators allege that he played a role in facilitating weapons acquisitions and supply chains linked to forces involved in the mass killings.

According to case records, Kayumba is suspected of having participated in a high-level meeting of the former Rwandan armed forces (Ex-FAR) on April 9, 1994, chaired by Théoneste Bagosora, shortly after the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana. He is also accused of traveling abroad later that month to negotiate arms deals, including with contacts in France.

Despite a United Nations arms embargo imposed in May 1994, prosecutors allege that Kayumba continued to facilitate weapons transfers, which were subsequently used by militias such as the Interahamwe.

Kayumba has lived in France since 1998. A complaint was first filed in 2002 by victims’ organizations, including the Collective of Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR). He was briefly detained in 2018 before being released under judicial supervision.

During questioning, Kayumba acknowledged involvement in arms procurement but denied knowledge that the weapons would be used in the genocide, stating he acted under orders from the Ministry of Defence. Prosecutors have challenged the credibility of this defense.

In January 2025, investigating judges initially ruled that there was insufficient evidence to proceed to trial. However, that decision was overturned on April 8, 2026, following the prosecution’s appeal.