President Paul Kagame has offered to pay Britain back if the Rwanda migrant deportation deal falls through.

The Home Office has paid the Rwandan Government some £240million despite being engulfed in Parliamentary and legal battles to get the first flight off the ground.

Asked if the scheme was working, the President of Rwanda said: "Ask the UK. It's the UK's problem, not Rwanda's problem. 

"The money is going to be used on those people who will come. If they don't come, we can return the money."

The offer of a refund is a fresh headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as attempts to guide his Rwanda Bill through Parliament.

Conservative rebels, who are urging Mr Sunak to toughen up his Rwanda Bill, immediately seized on President Kagame's warning over repeated delays.

A Tory rebel source said: "As Michael Tomlinson explained this morning, the Government's plan is going to need hundreds of judges to clear thousands of claims which will take months and months at a bare minimum.

"Rwanda want a plan that works quickly, not one that satisfies the whims of our Attorney General.

"The government should therefore back our plan. At this rate it will be Labour having to pay back the money."

Rwanda could walk away from its multi-million pound deal with the UK and keep the money "without accepting a single asylum seeker", MPs heard last month.

Home Office permanent secretary, Sir Matthew Rycroft, told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) there was a "break clause" included in the memorandum of understanding the UK and Rwanda signed in April 2022 to seal the deal, which allows either government to walk away from it with three months' notice.

He confirmed that if the UK instigates the break clause, Rwanda keeps the money already paid but added: "There is a presumption that the UK Government will want to continue with the partnership, bearing in mind its importance in the overall efforts to stop the boats."

If Rwanda ends the agreement, Sir Matthew said the country's government would have to repay the money "proportionately".

Under the Government's proposals, illegal migrants who cross the Channel on small boats could be flown out to Rwanda to have any asylum claims processed there rather than being allowed to apply to settle in the UK while they are still on British soil.

The legislation, plus a treaty signed with Rwanda's leaders in its capital Kigali, is intended to make the measures legally watertight following a court ruling blocking deporations.

But Tory rebels are concerned migrants could still lodge individual appeals against deportation orders.

And they are concerned European judges will still be able to ground flights to Kigali.

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick urged MPs to "find a way through" the "entirely foreseeable" prospect of European judges challenging the Rwanda plan.

He told the Commons during Wednesday's debate: "What we're discussing here is whether or not we believe it is appropriate for a foreign judge in an international court to impose a late night judgment, often without the United Kingdom being able to give its own arguments or to hear the reasons for that judgment, whether we think that really accords with the rule of law. 

"And, in particular in relation to this policy, whether we're willing to see the same thing happen again that did in the summer of 2022 whereby a judge did just that, grounded the flight, prevented the policy, led to months, indeed years of legal action and tens of thousands of illegal migrants breaking into our country, costing our taxpayers billions of pounds, imperilling lives in the Channel and perpetuating this challenge for years to come."

Mr Jenrick added: "I think as night follows day if we don't make changes in this respect, we'll find ourselves in a few months' time in exactly the same position that (Priti Patel) as home secretary was in the summer of 2022, whereby the Strasbourg court will issue one, potentially many rule 39 interim measures, the decision will fall to a minister ... about what to do, the courts will be involved and we'll find ourselves in a very difficult, indeed intractable situation. 

"It is, as I've said before, a bit like pulling the pin out of a grenade but not being prepared to throw it. Setting this scheme in train without knowing what you would do when this happens - it's entirely foreseeable, let's find a way through this challenge."

Mr Jenrick told the Government he was "here to help" with his amendment aimed at safeguarding against Rule 39 orders.

The Tory former immigration minister told MPs: "We have the power to fix this and we have the responsibility. So let's use the opportunity we have today with the amendment that we have brought forward to resolve this.

"Or else we will be here in two months' time, the Strasbourg court will impose a Rule 39, the Government will be scrambling around how to resolve this, and the Government will have no-one else to blame.

"I am here to help the Government to ensure this policy works, because I like everyone, at least on this side of the House, believes passionately that we have to make this policy work and to stop the boats.

"So I strongly encourage the Prime Minister to support the amendment in my name, and that of many others, and encourage everyone else on all sides of this House who share my determination to fix this problem to do exactly the same." By Michael Knowles, Daily Express  

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) in Kenya has charged preacher Paul Makenzi and 95 of his followers with murder over the Shakahola massacre.

The tragic event, claiming the lives of 429 individuals, is now at the forefront of legal proceedings following extensive investigations and evidence analysis.

In a press statement released on Tuesday, January 16, the ODPP outlined the various charges brought against Makenzi and his accomplices.

These include murder under the Penal Code (Section 203), assault causing bodily harm (Section 251), contraventions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Prevention of Organized Crimes Act, and manslaughter accusations (Section 202 with 205).

"Upon perusal of all the inquiry files and thorough analysis of the evidence, the ODPP is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to charge all the 95 suspects who are currently in custody with the following offences," the statement read in part. 

Furthermore, the suspects face accusations of radicalization under Section 12D of the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2012.

The ODPP emphasises the urgency of these proceedings, stating, "The DPP has therefore directed that the suspects be presented before the High Court and Subordinate Court forthwith. The ODPP undertakes to expeditiously prosecute the matters in view of the great public interest involved.”

It's worth noting that Makenzi was previously sentenced to a year and a half in prison on December 1, 2023, for illegally distributing unrated films during his radical sermons. He also received a six-month sentence for operating a film studio without a valid license. 

The Shakahola massacre sparked outrage and grief across Kenya, making the ODPP's announcement a crucial step towards closure and accountability. By Mate Tongola, The Standard

Miriam Cates and Jacob Rees-Mogg during voting in the House of Commons voting© Sky News Screen Grab

Rishi Sunak has been dealt a fresh blow to his authority as 68 MPs, including 60 Tories, voted in favour of changes to his Rwanda Bill put forward by Conservative backbencher Sir Bill Cash.

The amendment, seeking to ensure UK and international law cannot be used to block a person being removed to Rwanda, was rejected by a majority of 461.

But the rebellion gives an indication of the scale of unease within the Conservative Party during an election year.

Below is a full list of the Conservatives who voted for the amendment:

Adam Afriyie - Windsor

Lee Anderson - Ashfield

Sarah Atherton - Wrexham

Sir Jake Berry - Rossendale and Darwen

Bob Blackman - Harrow East

Ben Bradley - Mansfield

Suella Braverman - Fareham

Jack Brereton - Stoke-on-Trent South

Paul Bristow - Peterborough

Sir Bill Cash - Stone

Miriam Cates - Penistone and Stocksbridge

Rehman Chishti - Gillingham and Rainham

Sir Christopher Chope - Christchurch

Sir Simon Clarke - Middlesborough South and East Cleveland

Brendan Clarke-Smith - Bassetlaw

Philip Davies - Shipley

Sarah Dines - Derbyshire Dales

Richard Drax - South Dorset

Sir James Duddridge - Rochford and Southend East

Sir Iain Duncan Smith - Chingford and Woodford Green

Michael Fabricant - Lichfield

Nick Fletcher - Don Valley

Kevin Foster - Torbay

Mark Francois - Rayleigh and Wickford

Chris Green - Bolton West

James Grundy - Leigh

Jonathan Gullis - Stoke-on-Trent North

Sir John Hayes - South Holland and the Deepings

Darren Henry - Broxtowe

Philip Hollobone - Kettering

Adam Holloway - Gravesham

Eddie Hughes - Walsall North

Tom Hunt - Ipswich

Robert Jenrick - Newark

Caroline Johnson - Sleaford and North Hykeham

David Jones - Clwyd West

Danny Kruger - Devizes

Andrew Lewer - Northampton South

Marco Longhi - Dudley North

Jonathan Lord - Woking

Craig Mackinlay - South Thanet

Karl McCartney - Lincoln

Robin Millar - Aberconwy

Anne Marie Morris - Newton Abbot

Jill Mortimer - Hartlepool

Wendy Morton - Aldridge-Brownhills

Lia Nici - Great Grimsby

Neil O'Brien - Harborough

Dr Matthew Offord - Hendon

Tom Randall - Gedling

John Redwood - Wokingham 

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg - North East Somerset

Laurence Robertson - Tewksbury

Gary Sambrook - Birmingham, Northfield

Greg Smith - Buckingham

Henry Smith - Crawley

Jane Stevenson - Wolverhampton North East

Sir Desmond Swayne - New Forest West

Liz Truss - South West Norfolk

Sir Bill Wiggin - North Herefordshire Sky News