The Court of Appeal has postponed the verdict of the FLN-MRCD appeal trial to next month, saying that judges needed more time to deliberate. The verdict was meant to be passed on Monday, March 21, but the judges resolved to push it to April 4, saying they needed more time to go through the case. “It has not been possible to read the verdict today because the 30 days’ period that the court set for itself to go through the case was not enough due to the volume of the file and the big number of the accused and those seeking compensation,” said Francois Regis Rukundakuvuga, who presided over the bench of three justices. The FLN is the outfit behind the 2018 and 2019 attacks in South-Western Rwanda, where at least nine unarmed civilians lost their lives, more others injured and property destroyed or looted. The terror outfit was founded by MRCD, a political group founded by Paul Rusesabagina, who is one of the accused. Its leaders and fighters were convicted of terrorism in September last year by the High Court Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes (HCCICC). After the September verdict, some of the defendants, the prosecution and civil parties in the case (those representing victims of the attack), took to the Court of Appeal, expressing their dissatisfaction about the decision. For instance, the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) protested the penalties given to the convicts, saying they were too lenient in comparison to the crimes they committed, among other claims. On the other hand, 13 of the 21 convicted persons claimed that the penalties they were given were too heavy, considering some mitigating factors, for example, the fact that they pleaded guilty and collaborated with the court during the trial process. The victims of the attacks also appealed, saying that the compensations awarded to them by the HCCICC were based on the judges’ consideration, not the evidence provided. The appeal trial started in January and was concluded by the following month. The convicts who appealed include Callixte Nsabimana, the ex-spokesperson of the FLN who was sentenced to 20 years in jail for his role in the terror activities of the group. Other convicts who appealed include Cassien Bizimana, Shaban Emmanuel, Jean-Damascene Nsabimana, Innocent Ntibiramira, Jean-Claude Byukusenge, Marc Nizeyimana, Marcel Niyirora, Emmanuel Iyamuremye and Emmanuel Nshimiyimana. For more about why the different sides appealed, read: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/fln-trial-who-appealed-against-what
