Victoire Ingabire begins judicial battle

KIGALI – On Wednesday April 21, Miss Ingabire started his battle in the court on charges with association with a terrorist group, propagating the Genocide Ideology, Revisionism and Ethnic Division. Ms. Ingabire is also accused of promoting the genocide ideology through her declarations and speeches made while she was still living in Europe and upon her arrival in the country, which contravenes articles 1-4 of the 2008 law against Genocide Ideology.

She was arrested and interrogate by Rwanda’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and was impeached before Gasabo Intermediate court on the above four charges. She arrived at court premises afternoon and waited in a prosecution room where she stayed before appearing in the courtroom. With her lawyer Mr. Protais Mutembe, Ingabire stood before Judge Maurice Mbishibishi listening attentively all charges against her from the National Public Prosecution Authority representative. Different people geared by Ingabire’s group have relentlessly accused the government of Rwanda for politically persecuting Kagame’s rival. However Mr. Martin Ngoga the Prosecutor General, dismissed claims from Ingabire’s group that she was being persecuted for her political views. “The prosecution’s case against Ms Ingabire is based on facts and evidences,” Ngoga told The New Times the Rwanda’s English daily adding that being a politician did not place her above the law. “The actions that led to these charges against Ms Ingabire are extremely serious and cannot go unpunished”. Mr. Ngoga added. Some of the evidences pointed out was a speech she delivered at Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre at Gisozi, upon her arrival early this year, where she lamented that the memorial centre only honoured the Genocide against the Tutsis. The prosecution says that through her declarations and utterances, Ms. Ingabire not only engaged in Genocide denial, but also promoted ethnic divisionism. Since her arrival in January, Ms. Ingabire has persistently articulated that there was double Genocide in 1994 a thing that have been dismissed by the Government of Rwanda and international community at large based on the definition of Genocide. In her statements in several meetings she has had in the country, Ms. Ingabire has appealed for ethnic sentiments in her quest for political support. “Nje kubahoza amarira no kubamara ubwoba, nje kumara ubwoba nyamwinshi,(loosly translated; I have come to comfort you, to take a way the fears from the majority of the population) a phrase which was used in 1994 Genocide meaning Hutus to wipe out  the minority Tutsis. It has been disclosed that Ms. Ingabire had been in contact with FDLR the rebels based in Eastern DRC with the aim of forming armed groups to attack Rwanda. According to the Prosecution, Ms. Ingabire while still in Europe travelled between Amsterdam and Kinshasa to meet top FDLR commanders trying to convince them to launch war against Rwanda under FDU Inkingi/CDF. The prosecution alleged that Ms. Ingabire met Lt. Col Tharcisse Mutwende in 2008 to convince him to leave the rebel group, mainly Ex-FAR Interahamwe to join her, and also sent him money through Western Union. However Ms. Ingabire denied having connection with the said FDLR officer or having travelled to Kinshasa to meet the group. As we write, Ms. Ingabire has been granted bail but her passport is still confiscated and she is not allowed to go beyond Rwandan boundaries. She yesterday had a short prayer upon hearing the court’s ruling by judge Mbishibishi who is also the court’s vice president. Meanwhile in related issues the United Nations on Tuesday formally requested Canada to deny asylum to a senior member of the FDLR currently in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Reports indicate that the UN deputy administrator, Christian Manahl, who oversees operations in the eastern DRC told Canada’s Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, that her country should help in fighting the exiled leadership of the militia group. Governor General Michelle Jean has been in a three days official visit to Rwanda where she met president Paul Kagame and other high profiled government officials. United Nations administrator met Michaelle Jean during her visit to Goma in DRC before coming to Rwanda.
On her arrival in Rwanda, received in high protocol Canada’s Governor General Wednesday apologized on behalf of her government for the indifference and inaction of the international community when brutal killing occurred 1994. While delivering her message, the top official noted that Canada and other countries failed to respond adequately to the atrocities that were taking place in Rwanda, despite warnings from a Canadian Gen. Romeo Dallaire who led the UN peacekeepers that time.