Paul Rusesabagina, who was declared a hero by the international community for
shielding hundreds of Tutsis from the 1994 in his hotel, is alleged to have
sent money from the US to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda
(FDLR), a Hutu-majority rebel group whose commanders were implicated in the
killings.
Mr Rusesabagina, who was played by Don Cheadle in the film, insists he has not
sent money to Rwanda for at least seven years and dismissed the allegations
as part of a smear campaign against him because he opposed the government of
Paul Kagame, the Rwandan president, in the past.
Martin Ngoga, Rwanda's most senior prosecutor, claimed he had hard evidence
that Mr Rusesabagina, 56, sent money to two FDLR commanders in Burundi and
Tanzania via the Western Union from San Antonio, Texas, where he has a home.
"Those who want to continue considering him as a hero can go on," Mr
Ngoga said. "We consider him a serious criminal suspect and we are
challenging whoever speaks on his behalf to tell us whether he never sent
money to these FDLR commanders we have in custody."
It is alleged that the money was designed to fund the recruiting of fighters
for a new military wing of FDU-Inkingi, a Hutu opposition party headed by
Victoire Ingabire.
Miss Ingabire was remanded in custody earlier this month on charges of forming
a terrorist group. Mr Ngoga alleged that the FDLR commanders in custody have
given evidence against both Miss Ingabire and Mr Rusesabagina.
Mr Rusesabagina, who in 2005 was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the country's highest civilian honour by former US President George W. Bush,
insists he has done nothing wrong.
"It is the latest step in a campaign against me by the Rwandan government
that has included public insults, lies and physical harassment," he
said.
"My foundation is advocating for a truth, justice and reconciliation
process to try to foster sustainable peace in Rwanda ... but anyone who
opposes Kagame inside or outside the country is treated with this kind of
harassment."
No formal charges have yet been filed against him.
More than 500,000 Rwandans, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were
killed in Rwanda's genocide.
Mr Kagame, an ethnic Tutsi, has tried to downplay the role of ethnicity in
post-genocide Rwanda, and people in the country rarely refer to themselves
as Hutu or Tutsi and can face charges for speaking publicly about ethnicity.
But he has been criticised by human rights groups who accuse his regime of
iron-fisted control and of silencing opposition politicians and media
outlets with arrests and attacks in the run up to August president election.
