Ingabire “accomplices” to be paraded in court

By Rwanda News Agency
Thursday, 22 April 2010

Kigali: Prosecution is demanding court to provide a time-table for start of the Ingabire Victoire case, revealing that it has three FDLR officers branded as Ingabire’s “accomplices” to be produced in court, RNA can exclusively reveal.

In a new twist to the case, barely hours after a court in Kabuga released the FDU-Inkingi leader on bail, prosecution said it is also considering appealing against the ruling, arguing the accused could flee the country or temper with crucial evidence.

The accused, on her part is also planning to appeal against the conditions ordered by the Gasabo Intermediate Court presiding judge Maurice Mbishibishi for the bail. Ingabire hands over her passport to prosecution and cannot leave Kigali without the permission of the court, according to the bail ruling. Ingabire will also be required to report to the National Prosecution Authority.

The prosecution and defense have five days to file their appeal. By press time, it was not readily clear if either side was intending to file an appeal with the High Court for review.

Ingabire is charged with ethnic divisionism, denying the Tutsi Genocide and links to the FDLR rebels – which Rwanda, the United States and the UN consider a terrorist group.

Sources have told RNA that the state has three former FDLR officers including colonels who it wants to produce in court as accomplices of Ms. Ingabire in her project to start an armed group to topple government.

It is not clear whether the men will be brought to court as prosecution witnesses or as accomplices to be prosecuted along with Ms. Ingabire. In an interview with state radio, Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga described the men as “accomplices”.

Among the men includes Lt. Col. Mbiturende Tharcisse; Lt. Col. Habiyambere Noel and Lt. Karuta Jean-Marie.

RNA has found out that Lt. Col. Habiyambere Noel was FDLR 3rd battalion commander, alias Frank. He left the group for Zambia at the end of September 2007.

Lt. Karuta Jean-Marie surrendered to Rwanda and was demobilized in December last year along with 361 other ex-FDLR combatants. RNA is yet to establish the status of Lt. Col. Mbiturende Tharcisse.

Presiding judge Maurice Mbishibishi did not say when the Ingabire case will start.