Prosecution produces more evidence against Ingabire

KIGALI - At the end of second week into the trial of Victoire Ingabire and four others, prosecution presented to the high court evidence of the fifth and sixth charges against the leader of the yet-to-be registered opposition party, FDU-Inkingi. The charges whose evidence was produced yesterday include; provoking divisionism and inciting the masses to revolt against the government by spreading harmful propaganda. Proof of the two counts mainly dwelt on a book titled “Umurage W’ amateka” loosely translated as “heritage of our history”. Prosecution alleges Ingabire acknowledges and accepts that the book was validated by her party. The book in question was published in 2000 by members of the Rally for the Return of Refugees and Democracy in Rwanda (RDR), which was led by Ingabire and later gave birth to FDU-Inkingi. It reportedly contains divisionism and harmful propaganda. Reading excerpts of the book, prosecutor Alphonse Hitiyaremye highlighted that it suggests that citizens rise up and fight the government which it refers to as a killer state. “The government kills the Hutu, buries them in mass graves and turns to lie to the world that they are remains of the victims of the genocide against Tutsi,” the prosecutor quoted the book. “Your honour, such statements show that the aim of the book that Ingabire et al validated, aims at dividing Rwandans along ethnic lines and inciting them against their government,” he said. He further explained that the book also articulates that every Hutu in Rwanda is in bondage as they are all labelled Interahamwe and are killed by returnee Tutsis in order to take their houses and land. The book also explains that the properties left behind by the Hutu caused conflicts between the returnee Tutsis. “Your honour, this is what they call the history of Rwanda. What is more shocking is that Ingabire approved the book when she was interrogated by the prosecution and never showed any remorse for its content,” said the prosecutor. “It is clear that such statements that Ingabire and her party were spreading among Rwandans were intended to cause conflicts and divisionism.” He said that the acts are tantamount to crimes punishable by the Rwandan laws. The trial resumes on Monday and the defence is expected to take the flow from mid next week. Ends

National

Prosecution produces more evidence against Ingabire