Kicukiro Primary Court on Friday, July 18, denied bail to Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, placing her on a 30-day remand. Delivering the verdict, the presiding judge said that there were reasonable grounds to suspect Ingabire of committing the six crimes she is accused of, justifying her detention pending trial. The charges are establishing or joining a criminal organization, conspiring to commit crimes against the government, and inciting unrest or disorder among the population. Others are resisting legal authority, organising or participating in unlawful meetings or demonstrations, and spreading false information or harmful propaganda to discredit the government. Reading the verdict, the judges cited evidence including audio recordings of Ingabire allegedly communicating with fugitive Cassien Ntamuhanga about plans to organize public protests. Although Ingabire claimed these were mere ideas, the court ruled that the recordings formed serious grounds for suspecting her of inciting public unrest. The ruling also referenced witness testimony linking Ingabire to the FDU-Inkingi party, which was allegedly connected to the 2019 attack on Musanze by former RUD-Urunana fighters. RUD-Urunana is a splinter faction from DR Congo-based FDLR genocidal militia which was formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The witness claimed that Ingabire formed a new political party, DALFA Umurinzi, to obscure her involvement. On the charge of spreading false information, court found the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to suspect her of attempting to harm the government’s image abroad. The court further added that Ingabire’s continued political activity, including annual celebrations of ‘Ingabire Day’, and her failure to explain its significance, was further reason for concern. The presiding judge ruled that Ingabire's detention is warranted given the nature of the charges and their implications for national security. The court determined that she could tamper with evidence, interfere with the investigation, or attempt to escape justice if released. Meanwhile, during the bail hearing held on July 15, the prosecution requested for her remand, citing reasons such as the possibility of obstructing the ongoing investigation if released. Prosecutors pointed to the gravity of the alleged offenses and said investigative findings were strong enough to justify her remand. However, Ingabire and her lawyer, Gatera Gashabana pleaded not guilty to all charges and requested for her release, arguing that she needs to care for her sick husband, and would not flee, among other reasons. Ingabire, according to the law, has five days to appeal. She was arrested on June 19 by Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) at the request of the prosecution.
