KIGALI - French authorities yesterday announced the lifting of all judicial controls against Rose Kabuye, the Director of State Protocol, The New Times has learnt.

Kabuye has since last year been the subject of an arrest warrant drawn up by a French judge, Jean Louis Bruguiére, over the alleged shooting down of a plane carrying former president Juvenal Habyarimana.

Her arrest raised global condemnation, including the African Union and the Pan African Parliament among many, who termed it an abuse of the Principle of Universal Jurisdiction by both Germany and France.

"This is quite significant,” Information Minister, Louise Mushikiwababo told The New Times.

"Even though she has not been cleared completely, she does not have to report to the French authorities. She is free.”

Kabuye’s case before the French judiciary has been falling apart ever since she was extradited  to France from Germany late last year, as key "witnesses” in the case began retracting their testimonies one-by-one, saying they had been manipulated by French intelligence.

When judge Bruguiere, the man behind the controversial indictments against Kabuye and eight other Rwandan officials stepped down, his replacements; Judges Marc Trévidic and Philippe Coirre were faced with a predicament because the case was weak.

On arrival in Paris for her case, she did not even spend a night in jail, but was ordered not to leave French soil without authorization.

Ever since, her conditions have relaxed to the extent that, a few months ago, she was allowed to return home and has since resumed her duties.

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