A Canadian Federal Court has ruled that claims of Rwandan state agents pursuing government opponents living abroad are ‘pure speculation’.
The ruling was made after a decade long assessment of one ‘Dick Patrick Muhenda’ whom the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) alleged was involved in the Rwandan espionage program.
Muhenda arrived in Canada in 2000 and applied for asylum. However, in 2001 his refugee claim was denied weeks after he married a Canadian.
His Canadian partner applied to sponsor him as a spouse but her application was approved in principle in 2002 and was sent for a security assessment that lasted for a decade.
Canada’s Security Intelligence Service, which interviewed Muhenda claimed he had possible ties to the Rwandan government, Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and Rwandan Intelligence Service. Mahenda refuted all accusations.
The CBSA War Crimes Unit determined there was insufficient evidence he had committed war crimes.
However, in January 2014, the CBSA national security screening division recommended that Muhenda be declared inadmissible to Canada for being a member in an organization known to have engaged in acts of espionage against a democratic government, institution or process.
Muhenda had his immigration application denied in February 2014. He appealed to the Federal Court, which recently ruled the government’s decision was unreasonable.