Rwandan Immigrant Indicted for Masterminding Genocide

A longtime Dayton resident originally from Rwanda has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly concealing his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide during the U.S. immigration process.

Jean Leonard Teganya, 51, is accused of lying on immigration forms and during interviews to cover up his alleged role in the mass killings that occurred during Rwanda’s civil conflict. According to federal prosecutors, Teganya committed crimes against Tutsi civilians while working as a medical intern at Butare University Hospital during the genocide.

The indictment claims that rather than admitting his role, Teganya portrayed himself as a victim of violence when applying for asylum and later seeking permanent residence in the United States. He entered the country in 2003 and had been living in Dayton, Ohio, since 2014.

U.S. authorities say Teganya assisted military and militia members in identifying Tutsi patients at the hospital and was directly involved in brutal acts, including sexual assaults and killings. Witnesses reportedly saw him help carry out or facilitate these crimes. Prosecutors emphasize that his alleged actions were well known at the time within the hospital.

Teganya now faces two counts of immigration fraud and three counts of perjury. If convicted, he could lose his U.S. residency status and face deportation.

This is not the first time Teganya’s past has drawn legal scrutiny. A prior immigration court proceeding also examined his alleged connection to the genocide.