Enforced disappearance
Alleged
Émile Gafirita
2014
Former soldier, Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Republican Guard
Biography
Émile Gafirita was a former soldier in the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). He served in the Republican Guard, the unit responsible for protecting President Paul Kagame. After leaving Rwanda, he lived in Uganda before moving to Kenya following a reported attempt to abduct him. In 2014, he emerged as a potential witness in the French investigation into the downing of President Juvénal Habyarimana’s plane.
Circumstances
According to our sources, Émile Gafirita survived an attempted abduction at Najjanankumbi Pub in Uganda on 31 August 2013. René Rutagungira, who was allegedly involved in that attempt, later joined a team that traveled to Kenya.
Our sources allege that Gafirita was abducted in Nairobi on 19 November 2014 while returning home from a meeting. They say the operation was arranged with help from a Rwandan embassy official and that he was handed to a group led by Col. Franco Rutagengwa. The alleged motive was to prevent him from giving French investigators information about the 1994 downing of President Juvénal Habyarimana’s plane.
Our sources allege that Gafirita was abducted in Nairobi on 19 November 2014 while returning home from a meeting. They say the operation was arranged with help from a Rwandan embassy official and that he was handed to a group led by Col. Franco Rutagengwa. The alleged motive was to prevent him from giving French investigators information about the 1994 downing of President Juvénal Habyarimana’s plane.
This register entry summarizes publicly available reporting. It does not constitute a legal verdict. Readers should consult primary sources linked above.
