Jailed YouTuber Nsengjmana claims his case should have been heard by media commission

The High Court in Kigali on February 4 resumed the trial of vlogger Théoneste Nsengimana and his co-accused, with the accused pleading not guilty to all charges. During the hearing, his lawyers argued that Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) should have addressed the case before it was brought before the court, as he is still a journalist. Nsengimana is being prosecuted for allegedly joining a criminal association and spreading misinformation through his YouTube channel. The charges stem from incidents in 2021, in which he, along with eight other people, is accused of conspiring to overthrow the Rwandan government. Among the co-accused are members of DALFA-Umurinzi organisation founded by Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza. ALSO READ: YouTuber Theoneste Nsengimana, co-accused trial adjourned as new evidence surfaces According to the prosecution, the defendants undertook training sessions under the pretext of learning English, using the book “Blueprint for Revolution” by Serbian writer Srdja Popovic, which outlines strategies for resisting authoritarianism. The prosecution alleges that some members of the group collaborated with individuals abroad to propose strategies and operations aimed at achieving their objectives. However, in Nsengimana’s case, the prosecution accuses him solely of mobilization efforts and broadcasting misleading information. He allegedly aired a false announcement on his YouTube channel and interviewed an individual known as ‘Inkora IVU’ (short for Inkoramutima Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza), the self-proclaimed director of DALFA-Umurinzi. His lawyer, Felicien Gashema, contended that the matter should have been handled by RMC since he was an accredited journalist rather than treated as a criminal offense. “This should have been addressed by RMC before being brought to court, which never happened,” Gashema argued. Another defense lawyer, Bruce Bikotwa, dismissed claims that Nsengimana was part of a criminal organization and engaged in spreading false information. He maintained that there is no conclusive evidence proving his client belonged to such a group. “The prosecution claims the alleged plan was conceived during these training sessions, yet our client was not part of them. We fail to see why he is being linked to these activities,” said Bikotwa. However, the prosecution countered that Nsengimana played a role in mobilization efforts during the implementation phase of the alleged plot. Bikotwa argued that Nsengimana was invited to cover ‘Ingabire Day’ as a journalist, which does not constitute mobilization. The defense also pointed out that the prosecution failed to distinguish between the training sessions and the Ingabire Day event. The prosecution also cited an announcement published by Nsengimana’s media outlet. The defense responded that the announcement was not aired directly by Nsengimana himself but was posted on Umubavu TV Online, a platform he owns. Nsengimana denied all charges and challenged the legality of the evidence presented by the prosecution, arguing that some of it was obtained in violation of legal procedures. One of the key pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution was an interview Nsengimana conducted with Victoire Ingabire, whom he referred to as “Inkora IVU.” Nsengimana told court that this evidence was inadmissible, as it was collected unlawfully. The trial is set to continue on February 5. Meanwhile, Sylvain Sibomana is being considered a key coordinator of the alleged plot involving the defendants.

News

Jailed YouTuber Nsengjmana claims his case should have been heard by media commission