Kagame Escapes U.S. Case Over 1994 Plane Attack
Kagame was accused of downing Habyarimana’s plane in 1994. U.S. confirms case but grants immunity. Power wins over justice.
June 16, 2025 at 6:28:55 AM
May 15, 2026 at 7:03:26 PM
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Did You Know? Paul Kagame was accused in a U.S. court of ordering the assassination of President Habyarimana
Xtrafrica found a PDF document, a legal brief filed by the U.S. government in 2012 in the case Madame Habyarimana, et al. v. Paul Kagame before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Here's a breakdown of what's in it:
What the Document Is:
Title: “Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Appellee”
Appellee: Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
Appellants: Widows of President Juvénal Habyarimana (Rwanda) and Cyprien Ntaryamira (Burundi)
Purpose: To defend Kagame’s immunity from a civil lawsuit in U.S. courts over his alleged role in the 1994 assassination of the two presidents.
1. Lawsuit Accuses Kagame of Assassination
Plaintiffs alleged Kagame ordered the shooting down of President Habyarimana’s plane, which triggered the Rwandan Genocide.
They claimed Kagame, as head of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, did this to justify an invasion and power grab.
They sued for $250 million in damages under U.S. laws like the Alien Tort Statute, RICO Act, and international human rights law.
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