{The decision of deporting Jean Berchmans Habinshuti, a 60 year old Rwandan facing genocide related charges has been postponed to one week in advance.}
It was expected that the state of Canada would send Habinshuti in Rwanda yesterday on 9th November, 2015. However, the deportation has been cancelled.
According to Latest Canada news medium, the defender Laoul Boulakia has stated that a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) proclaimed to postpone transferring date to 16th November 2015 after last- ditch plea to avoid deportation.
The acceptance of Canadian refugee status for Habinshuti in 2011 was followed by the claim of CBSA over charges of Tutsi genocide related crimes.
Canadian officials have denied his plea to remain amid expert witnesses academic André Guichaoua who has testified at international tribunals, former Rwandan Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu and human rights activist René Mugenzi who attested the man’s innocence.
In a recent decision on an assessment of the risk he faces if returned to Rwanda, a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer recognized, Habinshuti is facing prosecution for serious crimes in his homeland but suggested he could call on the experts to testify in Rwanda at his trial.
“The testimony of the three witnesses above and any others that (he) would have could be pertinent within the criminal trial process in Rwanda,” senior CBSA officer S. Nester wrote in Habinshuti’s pre-removal risk assessment.
Habinshuti served as private secretary to late Rwandan Prime Minister Agathe Uwiringiyimana. The government of Ottawa judged him alleged role in a meeting that ultimately triggered the 1994 Tutsi genocide.
He was employed by the Rwandan government between 1992 and 1999, and served as an opposition member of parliament from 1999 to 2003. He finally joined his wife and family in St. Catharines in 2011, and subsequently filed an asylum claim.
The admissibility of Habinshuti in Canada was overturned in an appeal by the immigration minister Jason Kenney keeping. Habinshuti remains in detention where he continues to plea for the cancellation of deportation.
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