Prosecution on Thursday, June 17 asked court to hand a life sentence to Paul Rusesabagina, the founding President of MRCD-FLN, the terror group that killed Rwandan civilians in a series of attacks it carried out in different parts of the country in 2018 and 2019. Rusesabagina is charged with 9 counts, including forming an illegal armed group, financing terror activities, murder as an act of terror, kidnap as an act of terror, arson as an act of terror, among others. The first major attack was carried out in Nyabimata, Nyaruguru District. Here, two people were killed on the spot, while a third victim succumbed to gunshot wounds later. The second one targeted public transport along the Kigali-Rusizi highway, where the FLN assailants ambushed at least three buses, killing at least six passengers in the Nyungwe forest. Prosecution urged that as a leader and financer of the FLN, Rusesabagina is hugely responsible for the terror activities of the group. The prosecutors told court that there is evidence that he was financing the group, basing on among others: information accessed from his computer and personal mobile phone, and more sources. Prosecutors added that there shouldnt be any mitigating circumstances when penalising him, since he didnt admit to the crimes during his defence.
