Rwanda Police dismisses Ugandans’ detention claims

Claims that two Ugandans are being detained illegally in Byumba have been dismissed as baseless by Police. Gad Twebaze and Bright Musimenta were recently arrested by Rwandan Police on charges of money laundering. Police spokesman Marcel Higiro said the arrest and detention of two was lawful despite claims in a report published by Daily Monitor last Saturday. “The suspects are not in the so-called safe houses like the reporter alleged. I do not even know where talk of safe houses comes from. Do we have to have them here simply because they exist else where? Besides, we do not practice illegal detention and therefore no need of safe houses. These people are being lawfully held in Muyove central prison in the Northern Province,” said Higiro. The Ugandan newspaper story had said that the two suspects were arrested at gunpoint in the freedom zone, otherwise known as the no-man’s land at Gatuna Border Post. However, Higiro dismissed the story as a baseless distortion that does not deserve any consideration at all. “These people committed the crimes on the Rwandan side of the border and the arrest was a normal one in any such circumstances. There was no use of any weapon because it was not necessary. I am sure they will soon be produced in court and claims to the contrary should be totally ignored,” said Higiro. He said that the two are no longer in the hands of the police because they have since been handed over to prosecution.Ends

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Rwanda Police dismisses Ugandans’ detention claims