World · North America · 4 hrs ago
US jury convicts Rwandan man of lying about genocide role
A federal jury in Boston convicted Eric Nshimiye of perjury and obstruction of justice.
The charges stem from his testimony in 2019, when he said that he and his former university classmate Jean Leonard Teganya had not taken part in violence against Tutsis in Butare, Rwanda.
Witnesses said Nshimiye took part in attacks during the 1994 genocide, in which more than 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, were killed over about 100 days.
Prosecutors said he lied to protect himself and Teganya, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2019 for immigration fraud connected to the genocide.
Nshimiye’s defence disputed the accusations, and his lawyers have asked the court to count time he has already spent in custody towards any sentence.
He is due to be sentenced on 26 January 2027 and faces up to five years for each of four perjury counts and up to 10 years for obstruction of justice.
A federal jury in Boston convicted Eric Nshimiye of perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about his role in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
The charges stemmed from his testimony in the 2019 immigration fraud trial of former university classmate Jean Leonard Teganya.
Prosecutors said Nshimiye took part in attacks on Tutsi people and concealed his involvement.
Nshimiye’s defence argued the accusations were fabricated and said he was not in Butare when the violence began.
He is due to be sentenced on 26 January 2027.
- Who
- Eric Nshimiye, a Rwandan-born US citizen.
- What
- A jury convicted him of four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.
- When
- The verdict was announced on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, according to Al Jazeera.
- Where
- A federal court in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Why
- Prosecutors said he lied about his involvement in the 1994 genocide during Teganya’s 2019 trial.
Prosecutors
Nshimiye’s defence
Nshimiye’s role
Prosecutors
Prosecutors said he took part in attacks on Tutsi people in Butare, including striking people with a club.
Nshimiye’s defence
The defence called the accusations fabricated and said he was not in Butare when the violence began.
Reason for charges
Prosecutors
Prosecutors said Nshimiye lied under oath to protect himself and Teganya.
Nshimiye’s defence
The defence said he was charged only after testifying as a character witness for Teganya.
Nshimiye fled Rwanda for Kenya, according to the BBC, as genocide violence took place.
Nshimiye testified in the immigration fraud trial of Jean Leonard Teganya.
US investigators arrested Nshimiye at his home in Ohio, according to Al Jazeera.
A jury in Boston convicted Nshimiye of four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.
Nshimiye is due to be sentenced.
- Verdict
- Four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice
- Court
- Federal jury in Boston, Massachusetts
- Related trial
- Teganya’s 2019 immigration fraud trial
- Sentence date
- 26 January 2027
- Genocide death toll
- More than 800,000 people over about 100 days
3 sources
What people are saying
For nearly three decades, this defendant concealed his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the heinous acts of violence he committed, including clubbing people to death
obviously disappointed with the verdict
It was quite shocking, difficult to process at first because we were expecting a different outcome. We were expecting to bring him home.