From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Tue Oct 27 2009 - 22:47:33 EST
Rwanda: Pastor Arrested in Fake Visa Scandal
Bosco R. Asiimwe
25 October 2009
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Kigali — A senior pastor of Ministere d'Evangelisation Sans Frontiere
(MIESF), in Kigali has been arrested for extorting money from his followers
promising them visas to Europe that ended up to be a hoax.
Pastor Deus Sangwa, was arrested recently after Innocent Irankunda, one of
his victims he 'aided' to acquire a visa to Germany was deported upon
presenting a fake visa to immigration officials in the European nation.
The NPPA Spokesperson, Augustin Nkusi, confirmed the arrest yesterday in a
phone interview with The New Times. He said his institution is carrying out
detailed investigations into this racket.
He said that the same pastor is accused of aiding young boys and girls to
go to Germany for white collar jobs through his church, after charging them
big sums of money.
"He had turned it into a business venture using his church mission as a
cover. Even the $3,500 he has been charging people is too much compared to
the Rwf35,000 that is charged by the Embassy here," Nkusi added.
Sources say Sangwa has managed to send five people to Germany some of whom
were arrested at Frankfurt airport upon arrival. It is likely that those
arrested also had fake visas.
The 24 year old Irankunda who hails from Gihundwe in Kamembe, Rusizi
district is now under police custody pending investigations into what he
told police in Frankfurt.
He is reported to have sought asylum citing political persecution at home
as the cause for his fleeing.
According to a four-page statement obtained by police and seen by The New
Times, Irankunda said he was escaping from Rwanda fearing for his life
after being accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
However, Police Spokesperson Eric Uwamungu said Irankunda has never been
called by Gacaca for any Genocide-related crime.
In a separate interview from Nyamirambo where he is being detained,
Irankunda said he was advised by his interpreter at Frankfurt Airport to
declare himself as someone seeking asylum in order not to be deported.
"I did not want to come back after paying huge sums of money. So I decided
to do exactly as I was advised," Irankunda said.
He said he paid $5,975 for both a visa and transport.
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