IBUKA USA welcomes the arrest of Vincent Nzigiyimfura, a man long known in Rwanda as a local leader who helped orchestrate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—and who then vanished, leaving behind devastated communities, unanswered questions, and a justice system struggling to hold perpetrators accountable.
His recent indictment by a federal grand jury in Ohio marks a powerful—if long overdue—step in the global pursuit of justice for genocide crimes.
Who Is Vincent Nzigiyimfura?
To U.S. immigration officials, he was “Vincent Mfura,” a quiet immigrant and father, living in suburban Ohio. But to genocide survivors in Gihisi and Nyanza, he was a feared and well-known Hutu businessman, local mobilizer, and genocide perpetrator. In 1994, Nzigiyimfura allegedly used his wealth, position, and influence to lead attacks against Tutsis in his community.
He is accused of:
- Organizing roadblocks where Tutsis were stopped, identified, and executed;
- Supplying weapons, vehicles, and logistical support to militias;
- Personally directing attacks and ordering killings;
- Deceiving survivors in hiding by spreading false messages that it was safe to come forward—only for them to be rounded up and slaughtered.
Vincent Nzigiyimfura was not just a bystander or follower. He allegedly played an active and central role in the planning and execution of genocide against Tutsis during one of the darkest moments in modern history.
Named in Gacaca, but Nowhere to Be Found
Following the genocide, Nzigiyimfura was formally accused in Rwanda’s Gacaca courts—a community-based justice system created to bring truth, reconciliation, and accountability. Survivors testified to his actions. His name was entered into official records as someone responsible for crimes of genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity.
But when the time came to bring him to court, he had already fled. He moved through countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya before settling in Malawi, where he sought refugee status and lived undisturbed. In 2009, through false immigration statements and the concealment of his past, he entered the United States and built a new life.
For over 3 decades, survivors lived with the knowledge that someone who had helped destroy their families and communities was free, hidden, and unaccountable.
The arrest of Vincent Nzigiyimfura in Dayton, Ohio, sends a resounding message: there can be no safe haven for those who commit genocide. It affirms what we, survivors, have always known—that even when justice is delayed, it remains a right that must be pursued.
For those who saw him at roadblocks, who heard his voice giving orders, who buried their loved ones in the aftermath of his decisions—this moment matters. It reopens deep pain, yes, but also restores hope that the truth will prevail.
IBUKA USA commends the U.S. Department of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations for pursuing this case. However, we also recognize that many more suspects from the Genocide against the Tutsi continue to live freely in North America and Europe, protected by new names, new passports, and silence.
We call on governments to strengthen their collaboration and engage with survivor organizations to bring genocide criminals to justice. We, Survivors, deserve to know that the world has not forgotten us, and that those responsible will be held to account—no matter how many years have passed or where they hide.
About IBUKA USA
IBUKA USA is a community of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and their descendants in the United States. We are committed to justice, remembrance, and survivor dignity. As part of Kwibuka 31, we organized 31 commemoration events across the country—a reflection of our mission to ensure that memory is protected, truth is defended, and justice is pursued.
Read more in the official DOJ press release: Rwandan Immigrant Arrested for Concealing Role as Perpetrator of Genocide after Fraudulently Entering the United States.
United States – June 14, 2025