NORTHERN PROVINCE

MUSANZE  — Faustan Nzabonimpa, a Parliamentary candidate campaigning on the Social Democratic Party (PSD) ticket is withstanding pressure from voters to withdraw from the race.

The voters say Nzabonimpa is not a credible candidate having been variously convicted of genocide crimes by Gacaca courts before later being acquitted after appealing the verdicts.

Nzabonimpa was first sentenced by a Gacaca court in Cyuve, Musanze District to a five-years jail term for allegedly looting property belonging to Claver Nzitabimfura who was his neighbour, and attacking the family of Dany Nsengiyumva during the Genocide.

He served more than six months in Ruhengeri Central Prison before seeking the intervention of the national jurisdiction of Gacaca courts to order a retrial.

During the retrial, court upheld the guilty verdict and sentenced him to 26 years. However, he appealed again and was later acquitted of the charges.

When The New Times contacted Nzabonimpa for comment, he denied being convicted despite being imprisoned.

He said he kept on appealing against the ruling because he was convinced that he was innocent.

However, the law bars anyone who was imprisoned for more than six months from participating in parliamentary elections unless such a person has got a rehabilitation letter from the Justice Ministry.

Faustan Nzabonimpa comes as number 9 on the list of the parliamentary candidates for PSD.

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