MUSANZE — The Ministry of Justice has stopped the eviction of a 90-yr old woman who had lost a legal battle over the ownership of her residential house and two hectares of land.

The Muhoza Sector Executive Secretary Amiel Ndahiro, last year issued an eviction order instructing Julian Nyiramasasa, 90, a resident of Kigombe cell to vacate the house after one Dr Cyprien Hakizimana claimed that he had bought her house while she was still in exile.     

However, reading the letter before the district advisory council last week, Mayor Celestin Kalabayinga, said that the ministry’s investigations had found out that Dr Hakizimana had wrongfully acquired the house through his brother Dominique Bakunzibake -who was the area Bourgemestre in 1980.

In the ensuing legal battle a local court had asked the parties to settle the case outside court. Dr Hakizimana currently lives in Brussels. In the court case he was being represented by lawyer Antele Iyakaremye.

The case attracted uproar from a cross section of leaders after the former area governor Boniface Rucagu asked the district authorities to evict Nyiramasasa.

The Governor had requested that alternative settlement be sought for her within community settlements.

Bishop John Ruchahana, of Shira Diocese who also followed up the case since 1999, had earlier condemned the area authorities for attempting to evict the woman.   

"We are rejoicing the return of justice in this country, if justice matures in this direction where there is fairness, Rwandans will develop confidence again that the justice system upholds its dignity,’’ Ruchahana commented.

"Leadership needs to take care of the emotions of the people and their dignity. We need ethical leaders, this woman was tortured psychologically, justice must appear to be done by being fair to this woman.’’

Nyiramasasa, claims she built the house with her late husband shortly before they fled during the 1959 genocide.

After re-occupying the house in 1995 she found to her surprise that her property had already been taken up.

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