Police warns of women crime ringPolice are investigating a suspected network of women from Gisenyi who are allegedly conning traders. The Police launched its investigations following an incident that happened on Tuesday, where two women from Gisenyi stole over Rwf 5 million from a shop owner, Uwera Joseline, at Mateus neighbourhood in the City Centre.

One of the suspects, Angelique Mukanyilingira 27, a mother of three, was arrested while the rest escaped. Superintendent Albert N. Gakara, the Regional Spokesperson, Kigali, said they are carrying out investigations to arrest any others that could be involved. According to the shop owner, two women came to her shop at lunchtime asking for the price of a particular dress. She kept on bargaining with Uwera, the shop owner while the other stealthily walked out with the shop owner’s handbag that had over Rwf 5 million.Gakara cautioned the public to be very vigilant about such women who might come under the pretext of being buyers or sellers.New IMF, WB, DfID representatives pledge supportPresident Paul Kagame mid this week, at Village Urugwiro, received new representatives of theWorldBank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Department for International Development (DfID) in Rwanda. Speaking to journalists shortly after meeting the President, Mitra Farahbaksh, the new IMF resident representative, said Rwanda and IMF enjoy excellent economic cooperation and his organisation was committed to taking the relationship forward.

Farahbaksh pointed out IMF’s three-year Policy Support Instrument (PSI) programme which ends in June 2013, saying a mission from the headquarters will visit Rwanda early next year to kick-start the new plan.Carolyn Turk, the World Bank resident representative, said that the Bank will continue working in the infrastructure sector, roads development, agriculture and ICT which would depend on the government’s strategy outlined in the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II).Turk  has worked for the Bank for fourteen years in various countries in Eastern Europe, central Asia and East Asia.Hammond previously worked in a similar position in Zambia.Woman arrested for torturing step daughter Devote Mukandayisenga 25, was early this week arrested for starving her 12-year-old step daughter, Diane Ingabire, who was reportedly found tied and rolled up in a mat in a locked room for close to a month. During a special community work (Umuganda) recently, residents of Shagasha Sector, Nyabishambi Cell in Gicumbi District, became concerned about the girl’s whereabout.

Later, local leaders accompanied by some concerned residents stormed   Mukandayisenga’s home where they found Ingabire locked up, weak and starving. by press time Mukandayisenga was still held at Mulindi Police Station.According to Supt. Francis Gahima, the Northern Region Police spokesperson, Ingabire is said to have spent close to a month locked up without food. The step mother faces five to seven years jail term on conviction. Gahima said further investigations were underway and called upon members of the public to work hand-in hand with the police to report similar cases.

Rwanda elected to UN Security CouncilTHE United Nations General Assembly on Thursday elected Rwanda to one of the rotational seats on the UN Security Council for the 2013-2014 term. Along with Argentina and Australia, Rwanda was elected on the first ballot.  Rwanda was unopposed in her bid for the Africa seat, but needed to win a two-thirds majority of the 193-member General Assembly.

Rwanda won 148 votes.Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo thanked UN members for the faith they have shown in Rwanda. Rwanda, which enjoyed unanimous backing of the African Union, last served on the Security Council in 1993-94 during which period the country endured Genocide which left more than one million people butchered. Rwanda is an active member of the UN and the sixth largest contributor to peacekeeping operations worldwide. Rwanda will be replacing South Africa whose term expires in December.

The Council is the highest decision making organ at the global body, particularly on matters of maintaining peace. Rwanda will now represent the eastern and southern Africa region for a two-year term commencing on January 1, 2013. In accordance with the Security Council’s rotation rules, ten non-permanent UN Security Council seats rotate among the various regional blocs into which UN member states traditionally divide themselves for voting and representation purposes.Ingabire loses Supreme Court petitionThe Supreme Court Thursday rejected an application filed by Victoire Ingabire, challenging the constitutionality of the Genocide Ideology Law. Ingabire had filed the suit claiming that the constitution grants her the right to freedom of expression. "The court finds no contradiction between the law and the constitution. it is true the constitution grants freedom of expression and speech, but the Genocide Ideology Law puts limitations to avoid abuse of those freedoms,” a nine-man panel of judges announced.In her trial, which began in September 2011, the High Court found her statements at Kigali Memorial Centre – Gisozi to be in clear violation of the Genocide Ideology Law of July 2008.Ingabire allegedly espoused the double Genocide theory, and during an appearance before the Supreme Court, she again claimed that she found nothing wrong in accusing Tutsis of killing Hutus the same way Hutus killed Tutsis.

The Supreme Court cited the international law and several cases related to hate speech, including that of a Canadian teacher, James Keegstra, who was charged with teaching anti-Semitism. Ingabire, accused of bankrolling terrorism and denying the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, brought a suit in March this year contesting the legality of genocide ideology law. The prosecution is seeking a life sentence.Kabarebe opens regional military training The Minister of Defence, James Kabarebe, has urged the East African Community (EAC) partner states to conclude all negotiations and ratify regional defence protocols. While officially opening the joint EAC military field training exercise codenamed Ushirikiano Imara 2012, Kabarebe said, "There is urgent need to begin and conclude negotiations for the mutual defence pact, and this will ease our work towards having a common defence mechanism to defend the entire EAC region from the security challenges and to reap the benefits of the integration”.

The exercise which has brought together 1,680 armed forces personnel and civilians will be held at Rwanda Military Academy-Gako, in eastern province as well as Lake Kivu in Rubavu District in Western Province.The exercise is aimed at improving the capabilities of EAC partner states’ armed forces to combat complex security challenges that might besiege the region.

This follows the 10th extra-ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State that approved and signed the EAC protocol on co-operation in defence.  The summit directed that the protocol be ratified and instruments of ratification deposited with the EAC Secretary General by November 30, 2012.If the protocol is ratified, it will provide a clear guidance on the cooperation of regional armed forces as well as defence mechanism for the benefit of the region.The training is focusing on peace support operations, disaster management, counterterrorism and counter piracy.