Kagarama Primary court yesterday ordered John Bosco Gasasira the Editor-in-Chief of Umuvugizi newspaper to pay Rwf1m in damages to each of the two plaintiffs who filed a defamation and invasion of privacy case against him.

The plaintiffs John Bosco Mutangana the head of Genocide Fugitive unit and Dr Diane Gashumba head of Kibagabaga Hospital were published in tabloid for alleged ‘sexual’ impropriety.

Presided over by Judge Silas Nsengiyumva, the court found Gasasira guilty of two out of the three charges against him.

"The court finds Gasasira guilty of defamation and invasion of privacy, Nsengiyumva ruled. "The court finds that Mutangana and Gashumba being public figures were defamed and their privacy was invaded which had a negative impact on their family lives, work places and in their respective communities.”

Nsengiyumva also ordered Gasasira to pay Rwf 200,000 in legal fees instead of Rwf 1m that both plaintiffs’ lawyers had requested.

The court also overruled the prosecution’s request of a prison sentence against Gasasira and the closure of his paper basing on article 83 of the media law.

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