The High Court has begun hearing on the merits the case against Victoire Ingabire for crimes linked to an alleged plot to overthrow the government and working with anti-Rwanda militias including RUD-Urunana, which was responsible for an attack that killed 14 people in 2019.
The prosecution presented its opening case on Friday, September 18, outlining allegations against Ingabire, the founder of the unregistered opposition party dubbed DALFA Umurinzi, and how it is linked to her 10 co-accused.
According to the prosecution, Ingabire faces several charges, including forming or joining a criminal group, causing an uprising among the population, spreading harmful information with the intent of creating a hostile international opinion against the Rwandan government, among others.
ALSO READ: Ex-convict Victoire Ingabire denies link to alleged govt overthrow plot
The prosecutors linked Ingabire to the P5 coalition, which brought together several anti-Rwanda organisations, including the RNC, founded by Kayumba Nyamwasa, FDU-Inkingi, Amahoro People's Congress, PDP-Imanzi and PS-Imberakuri.
ALSO READ: Key suspect in anti-government conspiracy case denies charges
Prosecution's case
Prosecutors told the court that Ingabire was being prosecuted over activities they allege were aimed at overthrowing the government over different periods.
According to the prosecution, Ingabire was born and raised in Rwanda before leaving the country and settling in the Netherlands. She later became active in Rwandan opposition politics while abroad, including through the RDR movement, which was founded in 1995 by Rwandans living in exile.
She later led FDU-Inkingi before founding DALFA Umurinzi in 2019.
Ingabire was previously arrested and later pardoned by the President. The prosecution said that following her release on September 15, 2018, she resumed working with FDU-Inkingi and other groups based abroad in efforts to overthrow the government.
ALSO READ: Witness implicates YouTuber Theoneste Nsengimana, co-accused in alleged conspiracy
Prosecutors said the activities in her group involved both force and what Ingabire described as non-violent means.
The prosecution also highlighted the training programme organised for members of DALFA Umurinzi.
According to prosecutors, the programme was disguised as English-language training but in reality, it aimed at teaching participants strategies against the government.
The prosecution pointed out that participants were allegedly given aliases and instructed to communicate through Signal and Telegram rather than WhatsApp.
Prosecutors said Ingabire acted as a link between participants inside Rwanda and those abroad and facilitated the trainings as well.
Participants were also allegedly taught strategies of "non-cooperation”, "boycott” and "mobilisation”, which prosecutors said included refusing to participate in some government programmes and using media platforms to mobilise the population.
The prosecution linked the alleged media mobilisation to journalist Théoneste Nsengimana of Umubavu TV and Dieudonné Niyonsenga, also known as Cyuma Hassan.
Prosecutors further said the case is supported by witnesses' accounts, written documents, audio recordings and video recordings, among other evidences.
Among the witnesses cited was a one Nzabandora, who testified about the alleged training programme and provided recordings.
Meanwhile, the High Court has allowed the prosecution to present its case for four days, after which the defence will respond.
The trial will resume on September 21 as the prosecutors continue presenting their arguments and evidence.