Rwanda ex-spy chief 'murdered' in South Africa

 
Police in Johannesburg, where a former head of Rwanda's external intelligence service was found dead in a hotel. Photo/AFP/FILE

In Summary

• Col Karegeya, in his early fifties, was for a long time very close to President Kagame.
• He served as head of external intelligence for around a decade before being demoted to army spokesman and was later arrested and jailed.
• He was stripped of his rank of colonel in 2006 and fled into exile the following year.

A former head of Rwanda's external intelligence service has been found dead at a hotel in South Africa, where he has lived in exile for several years, his opposition party said Thursday.

"The Rwandan opposition is deeply saddened to announce the assassination of Colonel Patrick Karegeya in Johannesburg," the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) said in a statement. "His body was found in a hotel where he went for a meeting."

"It is true," Frank Ntwali, the party's chairman for Africa told AFP early Thursday. "He was strangled by agents of (Rwandan President Paul) Kagame."

According to Mr Ntwali, Col Karegeya was killed at the Michelangelo Towers, an upmarket hotel in the Johannesburg suburb of Sandton.

Col Karegeya, in his early fifties, was for a long time very close to President Kagame. (READ: Kagame's ex-comrades in arms call for his overthrow)

DEMOTED TO ARMY SPOKESMAN

He served as head of external intelligence for around a decade before being demoted to army spokesman and was later arrested and jailed.

He was stripped of his rank of colonel in 2006 and fled into exile the following year.

Another prominent Rwandan dissident in South Africa, Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, survived two assassination attempts in June 2010.

The RNC statement said investigations had found "overwhelming evidence of the involvement of Rwandan intelligence operatives in those attempts".

Rwanda has vehemently denied involvement in the attacks.

Col Karegeya and Nyamwasa are both prominent figures in the opposition party, despite not holding specific posts.

He leaves behind his wife Leah and three children.