A federal jury in Boston, Massachusetts, has returned guilty verdicts against Eric Nshimiye, a 55-year-old Rwandan American citizen, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. The conviction stemmed from false testimony Nshimiye provided during a separate trial in 2019 involving his former medical school classmate, Jean Leonard Teganya, who was subsequently convicted of participation in the genocide. At that trial, Nshimiye falsely testified that neither he nor Teganya had participated in violence against Tutsis in Butare, where they had been studying at a medical university.
Nshimiye was arrested at his Ohio residence in 2024 by investigators from the US Department of Homeland Security. Prosecutors alleged he had concealed his involvement in the genocide both when applying for US citizenship and during official interviews with immigration authorities. He obtained citizenship status in 2009. The initial charges included multiple counts of perjury, obstruction of justice, and immigration fraud, though prosecutors withdrew the immigration-related count prior to trial. The jury convicted him on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice on Tuesday.
During the proceedings, prosecution witnesses from Rwanda testified that they observed Nshimiye participating in killings and violence targeting Tutsis in 1994. Some witnesses identified him as a member of both the pro-Hutu National Revolutionary Movement for Development and the Interahamwe militia organization. The prosecution presented expert testimony to provide jurors with context regarding the 1994 genocide, which killed more than 800,000 people over approximately 100 days.
The defense contested the allegations, noting that Nshimiye had not been charged in either the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda or Rwanda’s informal gacaca justice system, which processed more than a million cases. Defense attorneys highlighted inconsistencies in witness testimony and presented evidence suggesting Nshimiye was in other locations during key periods of violence. They also argued that Rwandan authorities had improperly influenced witnesses prior to their Boston testimony.
Nshimiye’s case represents one of several ongoing prosecutions in the United States involving individuals accused of concealing roles in the genocide. Related charges were filed against Faustin Nsabumukunzi and Vincent Nzigiyimfura, both of whom applied for US citizenship while allegedly concealing their involvement in the violence.
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