Eric Nshimiye convicted of perjury and obstruction in Boston

A federal jury in Boston has convicted Eric Nshimiye, a Rwandan American, on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. The verdict stems from testimony Nshimiye provided during a 2019 trial for Jean Leonard Teganya, a former medical school roommate who was convicted of aiding the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

During the 2019 proceedings, Nshimiye testified that neither he nor Teganya had participated in the killings or rapes of Tutsis in Butare. However, prosecutors presented evidence, including witness testimony, alleging that Nshimiye had been involved in violent acts, including the killing of a tailor with a club.

Nshimiye, a U.S. citizen since 2009, was arrested in Ohio in 2024 by Department of Homeland Security investigators. While prosecutors initially included charges related to immigration fraud, those were dropped prior to the trial. The current conviction focuses specifically on his false statements under oath. Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2027, with potential maximum penalties of five years for each perjury count and ten years for obstruction.