The case involving 25 terror suspects linked to Rwanda National Congress (RNC) on Monday morning started in substance at the Military High Court in Kanombe, Kicukiro District.
In a new twist, a group of six people, including five Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) soldiers and a civilian was enjoined in the case, in which all the 31 face terror re-related charges.
The court that is presided over by Lt. Col. Charles Madudu, heard from military prosecution that the new group that is led by Private Dieudonne Muhire stood accused of crimes related to the original group from RNC, which prompted the merger.
Led by Maj (Rtd) Habib Mudathiru, the 25 combatants linked to an outfit called P5 which was initiated through a coalition of RNC and other groups, were extradited to Rwanda in June 2019 from DR Congo, from where they were captured in action.
They are all on remand.
According to prosecution, Muhire faces a separate charge of desertion.
All the 31 face charges include formation and being part of an irregular armed group or joining it, conspiracy against the established Government or the President of the Republic, maintaining relations with a foreign government with the intent to wage a war and formation of or joining a criminal group.
The group led by Muhire had initially been scheduled to be jointly charged with Callixte Nsabimana who is facing similar charges in the specialized chamber for international crimes at high court, but court later decided to try him separately.
The trial started with Mudathiru, who was the head of operations in P5 by the time of his capture mid-last year by DR Congo armed forces during their offensive against armed groups.
Mudathiru, who pleaded guilty to most of the charges, told court that he on several occasions met with senior military officers in Burundi, whom he said were working closely with the militia group.
Mudathiru, who retired from RDF in 2013, said he was recruited into RNC – led by Rwandan dissident Kayumba Nyamwasa – by Robert Higiro, another renegade who formerly served in the RDF.
Later, he spoke to Ben Rutabana, the head of capacity development in RNC, who let him in on the plan to launch a militia group that was to operate in an area called Bijabo, in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo.
The militia group was to attack Rwanda and remove the government in place.
In 2017, Mudathiru, a one Charles Sibo and two officers linked to Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, drove to Kampala where they were received by one Richard Mateke – the son to Ugandan minister for Regional Cooperation Philemon Mateke.
He later spoke on Skype with Kayumba from where he is based in South Africa, who affirmed to him the plan for a military outfit and told him they were to get into DR Congo through Tanzania and then Burundi.
Throughout the trial, Mudathiru, who was clad in a green outfit for detainees in military custody was sat, with his leg stretched on a chair, owing to an injury he sustained in the attack that resulted in his capture.
The trial continues…