Four Detained Over Karegeya Murder

Former Rwandan spy chief Patrick Karegeya’s body was discovered on New Year’s Day.

Four Rwandans have been detained in Mozambique in connection with the apparent murder of Rwanda’s ex-intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya, Mozambican police say.

The body of Mr Karegeya was found in a hotel in South Africa on 1 January.

A Mozambican police spokesman confirmed that the four suspects were detained a week ago.

Mr Karegeya was stripped of the rank of colonel after falling out with his ex-ally, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.

His allies say he was killed by government agents – a charge denied by Rwanda’s high commissioner to South Africa.

Mozambique police spokesman Joao Machava told the Associated Press news agency that one of those detained in Mozambique, which neighbours South Africa, was a senior official in the Rwandan army.

South African police say Mr Karegeya, 53, might have been strangled. A rope and bloodied towel were found in the safe of the hotel room where his body was discovered, they said.

Mr Karegeya, who formed a Rwandan opposition party in exile in 2010, had lived for the past six years in South Africa, where he had been granted political asylum.

Earlier this week, President Kagame warned that those who betrayed Rwanda would face “consequences”, without mentioning any names.

Rwandan dissidents in several Western countries, including the UK and US, say local security agents have warned them of plots to kill them.

The Rwandan government has denied trying to kill its opponents.

Mr Kagame, who has been accused of not tolerating opposition, maintains that Rwanda needs a strong government to prevent a return to ethnic conflict.

BBC