The family of Paul Rusesabagina, whose heroism which he displayed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide was depicted in the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda, have filed a $400m lawsuit in the US over his alleged abduction and torture by the government of Rwanda.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that the lawsuit named the government of Rwanda, President Paul Kagame, as well as other senior officials including the former justice minister and intelligence chief as co-defendants.
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‘The complaint alleges that the Government of Rwanda and high-ranking Rwandan officials conspired to facilitate and execute an elaborate plot to lure Paul Rusesabagina from his home in Texas to Rwanda, where he would be tortured and illegally detained,’ the family and his lawyers said in a statement which was sighted by Africa Daily News, New York on Saturday.
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Rusesabagina, 67, who currently Holds a US green card as well as Belgian citizenship, was tricked into travelling from the US to Burundi in 2020 by the promise of work.
‘Instead, he was drugged and taken to Rwanda where President Paul Kagame’s security agents forcibly abducted him, tortured him, and forced him into illegal imprisonment,’ according to the statement.
He is now currently serving 25 years in prison on terrorism charges following a trial last year, which his supporters say was riddled with irregularities.
A copy of the lawsuit which was sighted on Sunday morning by Africa Daily News, New York showed that the suit was filed in a Washington, DC court on February 22, and was served on the Rwandan government on March 8.
Rusesabagina’s family and lawyers are billed to hold a news conference in Washington, DC on Wednesday, May 4 to announce further details of the suit, which is seeking at least $400m (380 million euros) in compensation, as well as punitive damages.
Africa Daily News, New York
