Bank of France hit with legal complaint over alleged role in Rwanda genocide

The Bank of France is currently subject to a legal complaint related to claims of its involvement in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This complaint was submitted on Mon, Dec 4, 2023, to the Paris judicial court’s unit specializing in crimes against humanity.

Civil plaintiffs, including the Collective of Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR), allege that the Bank of France facilitated seven financial transfers to the National Bank of Rwanda between May and August 1994. These transactions, amounting to approximately €486,000 today , reportedly persisted despite a UN-imposed arms embargo on Tue, May 17, 1994 .

The plaintiffs contend that these funds may have been utilized by the interim Rwandan government for acquiring equipment critical to the genocidal regime, thereby potentially aiding the violence.

The Bank of France has stated that it retains no remaining trace of these transfers , citing a standard practice of destroying records older than ten years.

This case contributes to the ongoing examination of France’s role during the genocide. A judicial investigation will assess whether the central bank neglected its oversight responsibilities and if these transfers facilitated the commission of crimes during this catastrophic period.

Based on reporting by Africanews.