High Court upholds Evode Imena bail

The High Court in Kigali yesterday maintained previous decision by Nyarugenge Intermediate Court which granted bail to Evode Imena, the former mining minister who faces charges of favoritism and unlawful issuance of mining licenses. The court however denied bail for Francis Kayumba and Joseph Kagabo, former employees of the defunct Rwanda Natural Resource Authority, upholding the decision of the lower court. Reading the verdict Judge Sauda Murererehe, stated that prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence indicating that the charges leveled against the former minister were grave enough to have him remanded. The prosecution had earlier argued that the lower court had disregarded serious grounds on which Imena was held and called on the court to revoke his bail. Prosecution alleges that Imena fraudulently approved mining concession license to ‘JDJ General Business Ltd’ a company owned by spouses of both Kagabo and Kayumba. Prosecution had qualified that act (approval of a license) as an act of favoritism, arguing that it was grave enough. The prosecution had also informed the court that Imena in his capacity denied license to Nyaruguru Mining Company and granted it to Mwashamba Mining Ltd, even after a unit in his ministry had resolved against the decision. However, the judge yesterday ruled that the prosecution submissions against former Minister Imena were baseless. Judge Murererehe on the other hand ruled that Kagabo and Kayumba’s 30 days remand was necessary to allow prosecution time to gather more evidence. The duo had argued that they were detained unfairly as prosecution allegations did not implicate them directly on charges of illegal issuance of documents, usage of counterfeited documents and favouritism. But Murererehe said that their submissions were not convincing enough to overturn the decision of Nyarugenge Intermediate Court.

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High Court upholds Evode Imena bail