Félicien Kabuga, a Rwandan businessman accused of playing a central role in financing and organizing the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi minority, died on May 16 in The Hague, Netherlands, while in custody at the age of 91, according to a United Nations court. Kabuga had been undergoing trial since 2022 for charges related to his alleged support of the Interahamwe militias responsible for the mass killings that resulted in approximately 800,000 deaths over 100 days. In 2023, judges ruled he was unfit to continue standing trial due to dementia, changing the legal proceedings to allow evidence to be heard without the possibility of conviction.

Kabuga, once one of Rwanda’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, was indicted in 1998 by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on charges including genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of international humanitarian law. He was accused of using his wealth and influence to support extremist Hutu militias by providing weapons, uniforms, and logistical support. Additionally, Kabuga co-founded and financed Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), a private radio station known for broadcasting hate speech and inciting violence against Tutsis.

Born in the mid-1930s in Rwanda when it was a Belgian colony, Kabuga rose from poverty to build a thriving business empire primarily centered on tea trading. He became politically connected through family ties, notably when his daughter married into the family of former President Juvénal Habyarimana, whose assassination in 1994 precipitated the genocide. Kabuga also led the National Defense Fund, which funnelled resources to the interim government implicated in organizing the killings.

For nearly three decades, Kabuga evaded capture, living under false identities and moving between countries, including Switzerland, Kenya, and France. His ability to avoid arrest was reportedly aided by political allies and family members, complicating international efforts to bring him to justice. A $5 million U.S. government reward had been offered for information leading to his capture. He was finally arrested in May 2020 in a Paris suburb, where French authorities found him living under an assumed name.

Following his arrest, Kabuga’s trial was seen as a critical step toward justice and reconciliation for Rwanda, a nation still healing from the deep divisions and trauma caused by the genocide. Survivors and advocacy groups viewed him as a key figure in orchestrating the violence. However, his failing health in recent years limited the proceedings, raising questions about closure for survivors and the broader implications for accountability in cases involving aged defendants.

Kabuga is survived by several children; his wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, died in 2017. The United Nations has not released information regarding the cause of his death. The international community continues to emphasize the importance of prosecuting those accused of mass atrocities, even decades after the crimes occurred.