France, The Misleading Photos, And The Rwandan Volunteer
France, The Misleading Photos, And The Rwandan Volunteer
The Truth About Abayisenga Emmanuel, the Rwandan Volunteer embroidered in Nantes's Cathedral Fire.
Following the fire at Nantes Cathedral on 18 July 2020, comparisons were drawn to the incident at Notre Dame de Paris. The possibility of arson was raised, and a volunteer responsible for opening and closing the religious building came under suspicion.
French media reported that the individual in question had Rwandan origins. Subsequently, Rwandan media and social networks sought to uncover the truth and identified Emmanuel Abayisenga.
The Claim
Misleading reports and social media posts surfaced, claiming that Mr. Abayisenga had served in the Rwandan police force and had been a child soldier with the former rebellion known as the Rwandese Patriotic Army (APR).
A photo of a young armed fighter in rebel attire, along with an adult's photo found on Facebook, were presented as evidence, linking them to the arsonist in Nantes.
Our Analysis:
Ukuri conducted an investigation to verify the authenticity of the photo and its connection to Emmanuel Abayisenga. A current photo of him, as featured on his French identification document, was released, but it did not match the appearance of the child soldier (different ears, nose, and mouth).
By reaching out to our contacts on Facebook to identify the person in the photo, we obtained the individual's name and current situation.
Two reliable sources from Rwamagana confirmed that the person in question is A.N., who grew up in that eastern Rwandan city and was recruited by the rebel forces when they took control of the area in April 1994.
A.N. responded to our message on Messenger, stating, “It's 100% lies. That's my photo, and I am in Rwanda with my family. We have no problems. These are individuals who engage in defamation against our country, but it doesn't impact us as we continue to work for the progress and security of Rwanda.”
The only recent photo of Mr. Abayisenga is the one on his residence permit in France. The photo published alongside the child soldier image depicts a namesake who, according to our information, resides in Rwanda, specifically in the former prefecture of Kibuye.
Our Verdict
Numerous sources have referred to the suspect of the intentional fire at Nantes Cathedral as a former child soldier, but the photo associated with the Rwandese Patriotic Army (APR/RPA) does not depict Abayisenga Emmanuel.
Through our investigation, we have found that the misleading photo is of a different individual sharing the same name. It is crucial to verify information and refrain from spreading misinformation that can harm individuals and tarnish the reputation of countries.
