Kigali — The government of Rwanda is 'not in anyway' discussing with alleged Genocide financier Felicien Kabuga over his supposed surrender to Rwanda, the Justice Minister reaffirmed on Tuesday.

"To the best of my knowledge we (government) are not in any contact with Kabuga - as of today", Mr. Tharcise Karugarama said. "As far am concerned Kabuga has not contacted Rwandan authorities (and) he has not contacted the ICTR. But if anybody has evidence to the contrary they can bring it to the fore so that this evidence is discussed".

In May, Norway-based online agency African Press International (API) published the much publicized interview with Mr. Felicien Kabuga in which he apparently hinted at negotiating with Rwanda for him to hand himself in but not the UN tribunal that has searched for him since 1995.

On June 05, API Chief-Editor Kipter Korir told RNA in an exclusive interview that Mr. Kabuga was already in contact with government through the Rwandan Embassy in Belgium. The Agency maintains that Mr. Kabuga is in Norway and is scheduled to appoint a lawyer in preparation for his discussions with Rwanda.

The Justice Minister and Attorney General said in a wide ranging interview: "This was something that was licked by somebody who calls himself a journalist. I do not think that has been established as a matter of fact."

Government of Rwanda and the UN tribunal are believed to have been caught off-guard - suddenly that a man with a $5million bounty by the U.S. government on his head surfaces in an interview seeking to surrender to Rwanda.

The Tribunal believes Mr. Kabuga has been living and traveling out of Kenya under different names often with high-profile support from Kenyan authorities. The UN court says Kenya has not put in any effort to round up the most wanted man in connection with the Tutsi Genocide.

In September, a Kenyan military officer, who has since retired from the government, was grilled by investigators and tracking officers from the Arusha-based court after a letter he wrote to a senior immigration officer in June of 1997 surfaced.

Mr. Kabuga is also said to be having several business interests - some of which were frozen on the request of the Kenyan authorities.

Last year in June, ICTR officers questioned a Kenyan heart specialist, Dr Gerald Yonga, who they suspected of having treated Mr. Kabuga in his clinic at Hurlingham, Nairobi, between 2001 and 2003. He denied any knowledge of the man.

Previously in January, a Mombasa politician, Omar Masumbuko, was detained for four hours for allegedly harbouring Kabuga. He denied the claim and was eventually set free. Mr. Kabuga continues to evade arrest.

Also lined up for grilling is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Moses Wetang'ula, who last October told the Kenya Parliament that Kabuga was allegedly financing some political parties and politicians in Kenya.

Just recently, a look-alike to Mr. Kabuga by the names of Dr Charles Nyandwi - who is Rwandan as well - was trailed by Kenyan security from Mombassa and detained - but was latter released after the Rwandan embassy in Nairobi confirmed his identity.

Dr Nyandwi teaches at the University of Nairobi, whose administration offices are a stone's-throw from Central police station - where he was kept for some hours.

"The truth of the matter is that we have not been able to locate Kabuga. The truth of matter is that ICTR has not been able to locate Kabuga", said Minister Karugarama.

"What you get as news pieces could be diversionary. It could be somebody trying to test the ground and see what is there. The fact of the matter is that we have not been able to apprehend and get Kabuga". (End)