Ohio man convicted in US of lying about role in Rwandan genocide
GT•A federal jury convicted Eric Nshimiye of perjury and obstruction of justice for testimony he gave during a 2019 trial involving allegations of participation in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26.
1. Trial verdict
A federal jury in Boston found Eric Nshimiye guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice charges stemming from testimony he gave during the 2019 immigration fraud trial of former classmate Jean Leonard Teganya. Nshimiye, 54, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26.
2. Prosecutors’ allegations
Prosecutors alleged Nshimiye concealed his involvement in the 1994 genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. They said he was in Butare, where he was a medical student, and participated in attacks and handed Tutsis over to be raped or killed. Nshimiye denied involvement when testifying at Teganya’s trial; Teganya was convicted and sentenced to more than eight years in prison in 2019.
3. Defense response
Nshimiye’s lawyer, Kurt Kerns, said the defense was disappointed and would pursue further avenues of relief. Kerns argued the accusations were fabricated and that Nshimiye was not in Butare when the violence began. At the time of his 2024 arrest, Nshimiye worked as an engineer for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
