President Paul Kagame has granted pardon to five individuals convicted of various offences, according to a Presidential Order published in the Official Gazette on Monday, April 13. ALSO READ: Presidential pardon: Can ex-convicts hold public office again? The pardoned individuals include Brig Gen (Rtd) Fred Muziraguharara, who previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Group Ltd. He had been convicted for complicity in the misuse of property of public interest and failure to report a felony, and had been sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of Rwf1 million. Also pardoned is Lt Col (Rtd) Robert Nkusi, who was convicted of complicity in the misuse of property of public interest. He had been sentenced to one year and six months in prison, along with a fine of Rwf1 million. ALSO READ: Close to 1,900 convicts set to be released on parole The other beneficiaries are Dilan Berat Mete, a country manager for Turkish-based Aknet Construction Co, who was convicted of complicity in the misuse of property of public interest and sentenced to one year and six months in prison and a fine of Rwf1 million; Emmanuel Kanamugire, convicted of issuing a bounced cheque and fined Rwf 154.8 million; and Devota Mujawamariya, convicted of the same offence and fined Rwf 84 million. The presidential order takes effect on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. Conditions of the pardon Beneficiaries of the presidential pardon are required to comply with several conditions. These include reporting to the Prosecutor at the Primary Level of their place of residence within 15 days of the publication of the order, and providing details of their village, cell, sector, and district. They are also required to appear before the prosecutor once a month on a date determined by the authorities, and to seek authorization from the Minister in Justice before traveling abroad. ALSO READ: Who gets release on parole and how is it different from pardon? In case of any impediment to meeting these requirements, beneficiaries must notify the prosecutor through appropriate communication channels, explaining their absence and current place of residence. They are also required to report to local administrative authorities, who will in turn inform the prosecution. These conditions will remain in force for the duration of the remaining prison sentence. For individuals sentenced only to fines, the conditions will cease to apply six months after the publication of the order.
