The High Court Special Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes on Wednesday, March 10, dismissed claims by suspect Paul Rusesabagina that he was a victim of abduction as baseless. 

Last week, Rusesabagina told the court that he was abducted by Rwandan authorities from Dubai, where he landed from the US before traveling to Rwanda, hence requesting to be released and that all legal procedures that followed his arrest be annulled.

However, prosecution denied the accused’s allegations, underscoring that he was tricked and that if he was kidnapped, the United Arab Emirates would have reported Rwanda for interfering with its sovereignty, which prosecution said did not happen.

Announcing the verdict on the objection presented by the suspect, the judges headed by Antoine Muhima averred that Rusesabagina himself said on several occasions that he was tricked, an account that was also given by Constantin Niyomwungere, while explaining to the court how he brought Rusesabagina to Rwanda.

Niwomwungere, who is a Burundian evangelist with a Belgian citizenship, is a friend to Rusesabagina who last week said had lured the latter to Rwanda where he was immediately arrested.

Rusesabagina had been a subject of an international arrest warrant by the Rwandan prosecution and he thought was travelling to Burundi but ended up in Rwanda.

The process, according to the court, does not restrict Rwandan courts from trying the accused, because it (trying the accused) has been done by courts elsewhere in the world like in the US, Israel, and Canada among other places, and has been endorsed by different legal scholars.

The court also stressed that facts show that there was no coercion used during Rusesabagina’s travel from the US to Dubai, and subsequent flight from Dubai to Rwanda.

Additionally, the court explained that facts show that Rusesabagina's rights were not at any point violated while on his way from the U.S to Dubai and to Rwanda, and so was the case since the day he arrived in the country.

Rusesabagina and his lawyer, Félix Rudakemwa attended Wednesday’s ruling in-person, while the 20 co-accused in the case dubbed FLN trial attended virtually, from Nyarugenge Prison where they are being detained.

Commenting on the resolution, the suspect and his lawyer said that they would appeal against the court's decision, adding that the case should be put on hold until the appeal ruling.

However, the judge ordered all the suspects back in court on Thursday, March 11, at 8:30 a.m.

Rusesabagina, who was arrested last year, faces nine charges; formation of an irregular armed group, membership of a terrorist group, financing terrorism, murder as an act of terrorism, abduction as an act of terrorism, and armed robbery as an act of terrorism.

Other charges he faces are arson as an act of terrorism, attempted murder as an act of terrorism and assault and battery as an act of terrorism.

The 20 co-accused are also accused of crimes related to terrorism. The entire group was allegedly involved in terror attacks that took place in south-western Rwanda between 2018 and 2019 and claimed nine lives.