Ingabire appeal case opens in Supreme Court

The Supreme Court yesterday began to hear the appeal case of Victoire Ingabire who was last year convicted of terrorism, endangering state security and denying the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.Ingabire’s lawyers and prosecution lodged appeals against the October 2012 High Court decision to hand Ingabire an eight-year jail term.She was, however, cleared of promoting genocide ideology.Ingabire wants the verdict over turned. But prosecution is also appealing against the verdicts handed to Ingabire and her four co-accused because it deems them too lenient. Her co-accused are Major Vital Uwumuremyi, Capt. Jean Marie Vianney Karuta, Lt. Col. Tharcisse Nditurende and Lt. Col Noel Habiyaremye.In its appeal, prosecution said the judge in High Court made a poor interpretation of laws and failed to examine effectively the accusation of forming a terrorist group that was aimed at attacking and causing insecurity in Rwanda.Prosecutor Alain Mukurarinda, said the judge ignored article 163 of the Penal Code that was in force in 2010 when Ingabire was arrested.He said the judge ruled that it was not a full crime since it was still in the planning stage.According to Mukuralinda, in the judge’s view, forming a terrorist group would have been a full crime if the objective had been achieved.The prosecution, however said in this matter, the judge examined articles they had not submitted in the file against Ingabire and co-accused.Mukuralinda said they were supposed to consider article 163 and 164 of the Penal Code of that time.On April 16 when the next hearing is scheduled, the prosecution will make more submission on the ground of their appeal, specifically on the charges of inciting the public against the leadership as well as crimes of ethnic divisionism and discrimination.

National

Ingabire appeal case opens in Supreme Court