By Sylvain SIBOMANA
FDU-INKINGI,
Secretary General
October 25, 2010
KIGALI-The bail hearing of the Rwandan opposition leader, Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, started today in GASABO Court House. The official criminal charge is the formation of a terrorist organisation with the aim to disrupt the territorial security of Rwanda. The Prosecutor backed by his prepared key witness tried to convince the Court that end 2007 and early 2008 the defendant carried on suspicious contacts with a rebel group FDRL and its deserters in order to create a terrorist organisation. The evidence displayed in court is a mishmash of emails and a transfer of about 2000 US dollars effected by a third party not related to the defendant. The link to Victoire INGABIRE was not established.
The same criminal charge was levelled in the April 2010 bail hearing but the Prosecutor claims that even if the facts are old the current confessing state witness brought more light and that the definition of the criminal charge is new. The prosecutor failed to explain why they never pressed charges against their witness for forgery and the use of fake identity documents. He failed to substantiate whether the defendant has violated any of the previous bail conditions. To the question whether the Prosecutor, by basing the arrest of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE on arranged confessions from one witness known for forgery, lack of credibility and himself accused of the same criminal charges, is not in a blatant violation of article 59 of the Criminal Code Procedure, he explained that Major Vital UWUMUREMYI is a defendant as well, pleading guilty, begging for mercy and not a witness.
All the eyes are turned to the decision of the Court tomorrow 15:00. Another big test for the independence of Justice in Rwanda.
We call upon the government to open up the political space and to release Ms. Victoire INGABIRE and all the opposition leaders from prisons.
Related Materials:
Call Upon the US to Urgently Intervene in Rwandan Political Crisis
Ingabire: "Kagame should assume his responsibility"
Rwandan Secret Services’ Plan to Eliminate Victoire Ingabire
The Kagame Regime: Myth versus Reality
OPEN LETTER TO MADAM VICTOIRE INGABIRE UMUHOZA, THE OPPOSITION LEADER ARRESTED IN RWANDA
Rwanda: A Coward General Is Desperately Fighting Against Unarmed Woman
The Kigali central prison known as "1930" has finished making room for Ms. Victoire Ingabire
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