The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has taken custody of Brigadier-General Ezechiel Gakwerere, a senior intelligence officer of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and a fugitive wanted for genocide crimes.
The handover took place at the Grande Barrière border post in Rubavu district, facilitated by the Alliance Fleuve Congo/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) following military operations in eastern DR Congo.
Gakwerere played a key role in intelligence recruitment and mobilisation for the FDLR and its predecessor, the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (ALiR). He is accused of orchestrating massacres of Tutsi in Mwurire, Rwamagana, and Kayonza during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
Rwanda has long accused the Kinshasa government of integrating FDLR elements into its national army and planning hostilities against Kigali.
During the 1994 genocide, at least one million people—mostly Tutsi and moderate Hutu—were killed. The FDLR, responsible for much of the violence, later fled to DR Congo, where it continued to launch attacks on Rwanda.
Gakwerere, a close associate of convicted genocide perpetrator Jean Baptiste Gatete wa Murambi, was actively involved in FDLR insurgencies in northern Rwanda. In 1998, a special operation by the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) targeted him, but he escaped back to DR Congo.
His recent capture included 13 other FDLR fighters, among them Major Gilbert Ndayambaje, Sergeant Major August Nsabimana, and several corporals and privates.
According to RDF intelligence, the captured fighters had been working with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), the Wazalendo militia, and SAMIDRC. Reports indicate that some FDLR members have since relocated to Walikale, Lubero, and Mwenga, while others remain in M23-controlled areas.
Gakwerere, who is under United Nations sanctions, is expected to face prosecution for his role in the genocide. His transfer marks a significant step in efforts to dismantle the FDLR, which has undergone multiple leadership changes.
The group’s former political leader, Ignace Murwanashyaka, died in German custody in 2019, while its military chief, Sylvestre Mudacumura, was killed by Congolese security forces the same year. However, the FDLR’s clandestine operations have made it difficult to track its leadership structure.
Gakwerere, also known as Sibomana, was reportedly the third highest-ranking FDLR operative after Major General Gaston Iyamuremye (alias Victor Byiringiro) and Major General Pacifique Ntawunguka (alias Omega).
While the RDF has not disclosed specific legal proceedings against him, authorities are expected to pursue justice for his crimes.
