Kigali, Rwanda – Brig. Gen. Ezechiel Gakwerere, a former Secretary General of the FDLR terrorist group, is set to face trial before Rwanda’s Military Court following his arrest in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and subsequent transfer to Rwanda.
The development marks a significant step in long-running efforts to hold senior figures linked to genocide-era crimes and armed groups accountable.
The confirmation was made on February 9, 2026 by the Military Prosecutor General, Col. Charles Sumanyi, during a press briefing held on the sidelines of the launch of the Judiciary Anti-Corruption Week.
Sumanyi said Gakwerere remains in the custody of security agencies as questioning continues, citing the former rebel leader’s deep knowledge of the FDLR’s historical and current operations.
“Security organs are still questioning him. In the near future, he will be handed over to military justice,” Sumanyi said, emphasizing that military trials in Rwanda are conducted in public and may be followed by interested observers.
Gakwerere was arrested in Goma in January 2025 by fighters from the AFC/M23 coalition. In March 2025, he was handed over to Rwandan authorities at the La Corniche border post, alongside 13 other FDLR combatants who had also been captured during military operations in eastern DRC.
Rwandan security agencies formally received the group before transferring them inland for further processing.
Upon his arrival in Rubavu district, Gakwerere briefly spoke to journalists, acknowledging his long-standing ties to the group. “I was captured recently,” he said at the time, adding that he had been part of the FDLR since its inception.
Investigators say the case goes far beyond his role in the rebel movement. Gakwerere is suspected of involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, with allegations linking him to some of the most notorious crimes committed during that period.
According to available reports, he led a unit known as “New Formula,” accused of organizing killings at roadblocks in former Butare prefecture currently Huye district.
He is also accused of having played a role in the killing of Queen Rosalie Gicanda, a crime that remains one of the most symbolic acts of violence during the genocide.
