Rwanda high military court rejects Col Byabagamba and Rusagara Appeal

October 09th – Rwanda High Military court rejects the appeal of Col Tom Byabagamba, (Rtd) Gen Frank Rusagara and Francois Kabayiza which they ought to be released. The court decided that the accused ones must be jailed for 30 days before the trial openly starts.

The court rejects their wishes to be released, considering them as worthless.

The body of judges led by Brig Gen John Peter Bagabo read the core issues relating to the case and all the claims raised by the suspects, finding them baseless to imprison them.

Col Byabagamba claimed that the persecution does not  provide relevant proofs supporting their accusations.

To this, the court said that he (Col Byabagamba) is not yet proven guilty thus, his claims were refuted.

Concerning the Retired Brig Gen Frank Rusagara, the court found the basis of the persecutions’ statements according which he owned illegally guns as a serious case to keep him in jail before trial kicks off.

For Frank Rusagara who had claimed illegal detainment, the court answered that it had been decided due to the intensity of the offense, and that the judge has right to order detention of a serious case suspect.

Rusagara who had claimed illness and unable to support his family using personal accounts, the high court ordered that he could be helped accessing health care and bank account to support his family while in jail.

The third suspect Francois Kabayiza, former soldier and Frank Rusagara driver, the court said he had not  been a good citizen who could have not brought the guns to Col Byabagamba’s home, rather to police or others in charge. His appeal was also rejected.

Seemingly the suspects were not surprised by the court’s decisions. After hearing the court’s decisions, suspects discussed with their relatives for a while then taken back to jail.

UM– USEKE.RW