Efforts by the government to have genocide suspects extradited to Kigali got a major boost recently when Norway handed over Charles Bandora.

Mr Bandora, 60, a former businessman and member of National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), the ruling party during the 1994 genocide, lost the battle to remain in the Scandinavian country in the European Human Rights Court.

The extradition of Mr Bandora, who is accused of planning and carrying out genocide crimes in the district of Bugesera, is the first suspect to be extradited following years of desperate attempts to have fugitives on European soil ferried home to face charges.

Observers say the extradition of Mr Bandora last weekend will bolster Rwanda’s chances of seeing dozens of suspects extradited to answer justice in local courts.

This, along with other deportation, including that of Leon Mugesera, is seen as a major score for Rwanda.

According to Minister for Justice Tharcisse Karugarama, the extradition of Mr Bandora is an important milestone in Rwanda’s quest to have all genocide suspects hiding in foreign countries tried home, 19 years after they committed the crimes.

“This extradition sent a strong message. Some European countries have resolved not to provide safe havens to wanted persons. We hope this is the beginning of many other extraditions in future,” Mr Karugarama told Rwanda Today.

Rwanda on many occasions has sent extradition requests to several European countries but most of them have been turned down on grounds that there were fears that the suspects would not be accorded a fair trial.

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Some European countries including France, Britain, Netherlands, Finland, Belgium and Italy are home to persons wanted for genocide crimes, which Kigali says contravenes international justice.

According to Mr Karugarama, its hard to understand why some countries are offering safe havens to genocide suspects, 19 years later, if they cannot try them.

Mr Bandora who has battled attempts to extradite him for over five years was said to have lived in Malawi and Zambia before moving to Europe.

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He is accused of orchestrating genocide crimes in Ruhuha, former Ngenda Commune in the current Bugesera district.

The National Public Prosecution Authority says Mr Bandora will be arraigned in court this week.

He will be tried in the High Court in a special chamber set aside to try extradited cases and cases sent to Rwanda by the International Criminal Tribunal Criminal of Rwanda.