Nyarugenge Primary Court yesterday remanded seven women and a man for 30 days over illegal assembly and inciting insurrection.The accused, who are members of the so-called Intwarane za Yezu na Maria, a sect made up of some members of the Catholic Church, were arrested on July 21, as they marched around the city allegedly prophesising bloodshed in the country.
During the arraignment of the suspects, prosecutors had said that the kind of message they carried was aimed at inciting public anxiety. Two of the suspects were later released,
The duo that was released includes Agathe Nyirahabyarimana, the founder of the sect, whom Judge Laurence Nyirankuliza released because she was not part of the demonstration, and no proof was provided that the demonstration was held at her instigation.
The message carried by the group, which was intercepted near St. Michael Cathedral in downtown Kigali, was such that the country is under a dictatorship and that people should repent, otherwise more blood will be shed than what was shed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Prosecution had suggested that all members be provisionally detained “since they were facing serious crimes and releasing them would encourage them to keep spreading their inflamatory messages.”
Message from Holy Spirit?
During the pre-trial hearing, Nyirahabyarimana, through her lawyer Emmanuel Cyimana, said that the aim of her group is not about prophesying political events, saying the group was solely created for spiritual purposes.
Angelique Karega, who was also released, was considered not culpable since court heard that she had attended mass at Sainte Famille Church while the group departed from Saint Michel, and she was arrested only because that day, she had contact with the rest of the defendants.
The court ruled that the eight be charged with illegal demonstration and public gathering, and inciting insurrection and trouble among the population.
During the pre-trial hearing last week, the suspects said they did not need to seek authorization to demonstrate “because their message was from the Holy Spirit.”
Source:The New Times
