Genocide suspect gets legal aid

A Rwandan genocide suspect is thought to have racked up a six-figure legal aid bill fighting attempts to cancel his refugee status in New Zealand.

According to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the man is accused of being involved in militias blamed for butchering hundreds of thousands of Tutsis. He denies the charges.

The man has hired the legal team of Grant Illingworth QC and immigration specialist Richard McLeod to fight attempts by the Rwandan Government to force him to return to Africa to stand trial on the war crimes charges.

A High Court judgment issued last week gives explicit details on crimes the man, identified in court papers as Q, is alleged to have committed.

Strict privacy laws prevent the Herald on Sunday from reporting those.

Q has been living here for 15 years with his family.

His application for a judicial review has been dismissed in the High Court, after numerous other legal avenues had been exhausted. McLeod said this week he would be appealing the decision. Legal aid bills are estimated to have topped $100,000.

A second Rwandan accused of crimes against humanity during the 1994 genocide has also been fighting to remain in New Zealand.

A source said the man, identified as X in court papers, would have received more than $50,000 in taxpayer money to fight extradition. Q's family arrived as refugees in New Zealand in 1996.

The Herald on Sunday tracked the man to his workplace. He indicated through his lawyer that he could not say anything. McLeod said: "The proceeding is still under way and it's not appropriate to comment".

At their home, Q's wife spoke at length about her husband's innocence - but later asked that her comments be withdrawn, citing fears for her family's safety.

Department of Labour head of immigration Nigel Bickle said: "The department is in the process of determining whether [Q]'s refugee status should be cancelled".

He said strict confidentiality provisions applied in respect of refugee claims.

Carole Curtis is understood to be representing X but refused to acknowledge he was her client.

Additional reporting by David Fisher