Africa-Press – Rwanda. Victoire Ingabire has appealed the decision by Kicukiro Primary Court to remand her pending trial, citing eight reasons that she believes justify her release on bail.
On Monday, August 4, Nyarugenge Intermediate Court heard her appeal case.
Ingabire, who was previously convicted of crimes including formation of armed groups to destabilise the country and minimising the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, now faces six fresh criminal charges.
These include establishing or joining a criminal organisation, conspiring to commit crimes against the government, inciting unrest among the population, preparing unlawful demonstrations, and spreading false information intended to discredit the government.
Grounds for appeal: What are Ingabire’s reasons?
Ingabire’s lawyer Gatera Gashabana claims that Article 106 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, used by the lower court to justify his client’s prosecution, contradicts provisions of the constitution.
He argued that the trial should have been suspended to allow the Supreme Court to first examine the constitutionality of that article.
Gashabana also claimed that the prosecutors acted unlawfully in reviving a case that had been dormant for more than four years. According to Ingabire, she had been previously questioned about the same issues in 2021, and was neither charged nor arrested at the time.
Prosecutors respond
In response, the prosecutors gave background of Ingabire’s case, noting that the charges against her stem from a broader investigation involving members of her unregistered political party, DALFA-Umurinzi.
They pointed out that she facilitated English-language training sessions on an encrypted platform dubbed Jitsi Meet, using materials authored by Serbian political activist Srdja Popovic, known for his advocacy of non-violent resistance.
Participants, the prosecutors said, used aliases such as “Turkey” and “Blessing” during these sessions, which were allegedly meant to incite unrest and train individuals in subversive tactics. Financial transactions and WhatsApp messages are reportedly linked to Ingabire’s direct involvement in these efforts.
The prosecutors maintained their request for pre-trial detention, arguing that Ingabire poses a flight risk and could potentially interfere with ongoing investigations if released.
Nyarugenge Intermediate Court is set to deliver its ruling on the appeal case on August 7 at 3 p.m.
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