Four lawyers drop out of terror trial

Just after two defence lawyers decided to withdraw from the trial involving Lt. Joel Mutabazi and 15 others accused of terrorism, two other lawyers, defending one of the suspects also walked out of court during the hearing yesterday. The terror trial underway in the Military High Court took a new twist after the prosecution screened videos of Private Innocent Kalisa (demobilised), confessing to crimes of spreading rumours with intent to incite the public against the State and threatening State security. Prosecution also screened another interview Kalisa had with NTV Uganda at the burial of a one Charles Ingabire who was shot dead in Uganda during which the former called on the international community to help topple the Kigali Government. Kalisa confessed that he had been instructed by the late Patrick Karegeya to blame Ingabire’s death on the Rwandan government. Kalisa, who was standing with his two lawyers, immediately requested the court to allow him drop one of his lawyers, Christophe Niwemugabo for “personal reasons”. Niwemugabo immediately left the courtroom and the trial proceeded. Minutes later, Kalisa’s other lawyer, Jean Claude Musilimu, requested to abandon the case, saying his client had made it difficult for him to defend him. “Ever since this trial began, we have had several things we agreed upon with Kalisa but I feel I am not doing anything in this court. My client is making it impossible for me to defend him. The videos screened are very authentic and the entire court can attest to that, but he is now claiming it’s not him speaking. “By law, I am not allowed to defend someone against my conscience. It’s on this note that I am requesting to step down from this trial and to cease being Kalisa’s lawyer,” Musilimu said. Prosecutors agreed with Musilimu, saying whatever contract he had with Kalisa is personal and the two can decide to nullify it anytime they wanted. Kalisa told the court that he was okay with Musilimu quitting and insisted he had not frustrated him. “He is leaving because of his conscience, not because I made it difficult for him to defend me,” said Kalisa. The other two lawyers who earlier walked out of the trial were Herbert Rubasha and Antoinette Mukamusoni, who defended Joseph Nshimiyimana and Mutabazi, respectively. The two decided to leave the trial claiming their clients kept shifting goal posts in court. Kalisa is a former RDF soldier attached to Republican Guard. He was arrested in connection with grenade attacks in Kigali but he broke out of jail and fled to Uganda where he is alleged to have worked closely with Lt. Mutabazi and FDLR members in plot to overthrow the Government in Rwanda. During the court hearing yesterday, Jean Marie Vianney Ngabonziza, alias Patrick Rukundo, a former FDLR and RNC member, confessed to have recruited Kalisa as an RNC member and given him a membership card.

National

Four lawyers drop out of terror trial