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Two face charges that they smuggled
children By Christopher Symington and Jason J. Barry,
Record-Journal staff
MERIDEN — A federal grand jury indicted a Meriden man Tuesday in
connection with a child smuggling ring that brought children from Africa
to Meriden and on to Canada.
The indictment charges Hussein Mutungirehe, 38, a citizen of Rwanda
believed to have lived at 8 Hobart St. until last month, with several
counts of conspiracy to bring alien children into the United States,
bringing a minor into the country for private financial gain and harboring
and concealing minors in his Meriden apartment.
Also indicted was Abiba Kanzayire, 35, also a citizen of Rwanda, who
authorities believe falsely used visas issued for her own children to
bring minors into the country and to Mutungirehe's Hobart Street
apartment, where the children stayed while waiting to be moved.
Authorities could not specify the ages of the children, but said they
are roughly between 6 and 10 years old. None of the children were allowed
to go to school, and at least one of them was forced to do inside
chores.
Both Mutungirehe or Kanzayire have been arraigned and are in custody.
It is unclear when they may face the charges in court.
The indictment details the smuggling of at least three children, who
authorities believe entered the country with Kanzayire between October
2002 and September 2003. Officials could not say who sent the children,
nor did the indictment indicate the children were kidnapped.
"We don't know who is asking the smugglers to bring the children into
the country, or why," Kevin J. O'Connor, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut,
said. "Our concern is that people are circumventing the law and we're
talking about the safety and well-being of the children ... We can't take
the chance, frankly."
Officials believe the conspiracy involved other people, who planned to
bring the children from Africa into the U.S. and then to Canada. According
to the indictment, at least two of the children were brought into the
country through Kennedy International Airport in New York, and brought to
Mutungirehe's home by both him and Kanzayire.
O'Connor said that while the charges do not include kidnapping or
stealing of children, the investigation is continuing and more charges are
expected.
"We don't always know what the real motive is but we do not allege this
was kidnapping," O'Connor said. The pair is being paid "for their role in
the transporting and smuggling, not the selling of the child."
A woman speaking Swahili answered the door at 8 Hobart St. Tuesday
night. The woman, Denise Kabatesi, said Mutungirehe is her husband and he
has nothing to do with child smuggling. A friend, Ndayisenga Harerimana,
translated for her. Through Harerimana, Kabatesi said she and her husband
are originally from Rwanda and have lived in Meriden for two years and
four months. Kabatesi said her husband is wrongly accused.
"He doesn't know anything about it," she said.
Slowly, three young boys emerged from different rooms in the apartment.
One boy held an infant. Kabatesi said she had five children of her own,
all by Mutungirehe.
Kabatesi claimed that Kanzayire was responsible for the child smuggling
and that she had been to the apartment only once.
"It was her, not him. He doesn't know what is going on," she said.
Mutungirehe is believed to have come to the United States in early 1998
and was granted refugee status about eight months later.
Kanzayire last attempted entry into the country in September, and after
being questioned by officials at Newark International Airport, was paroled
into the country and directed to appear in Hartford for further
inspection. She failed to make that appearance and was subsequently caught
trying to transport one of the children across the border to Canada.
O'Connor could not say whether or not Kanzayire was still in the U.S.
Tuesday.
"It's essentially an illegal immigration ring ... but it's exclusively
to children," O'Connor said. "We believe this is part of a much broader
problem across the country."
The two are reportedly in custody, though authorities could not say
where.
The case was investigated by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement and the FBI. State police and U.S. Customs and Border
Protection officers also assisted.
If convicted on all charges, Mutungirehe and Kanzayire could face up to
45 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 per count.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(203) 317-2227
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(203) 317-2475 | 
