High Court adjourns treason trial to November

The Special Chamber of the High Court in Kigali Friday once again postponed the trial involving musician Kizito Mihigo and three others in a case where they are accused of a litany of charges related to state security. Unlike previous appearances, each of the accused had legal representation but Presiding Judge Claire Bukuba, adjourned the hearing to November 6, after two of the accused: Cassien Ntamuhanga, a journalist, and Jean Paul Dukuzumuremyi, a demobilised soldier, requested that they be given ample time to prepare their defence. On September 12, the trial had been adjourned since Ntamuhanga and Dukuzumuremyi did not have legal representation. On Friday, the other accused, Agnes Niyibizi and Mihigo, told court that they were ready to carry on with their trial. The prosecutors, Boniface Budengeri and Faustin Nkusi, argued that the case of all four accused was connected and must be heard at the same time. Unlike his three co-accused, Mihigo was represented by two lawyers. Mihigo told court that even though Prosecution had slapped similar charges on all four, he personally had never seen Niyibizi or Dukuzumuremyi. One of Mihigo’s lawyers, John Bigaraba, told court that: “It is very unfortunate for one to be prepared to begin trial and is not allowed to do so. And, after examining the case, we also did not see any connection of all the four in this trial. I request the court that those who are ready be allowed to go ahead and present their case”. But the prosecution was of a different view. “We request that the case is not separated because even Mihigo himself has not denied connection to Cassien Ntamuhanga. We request that they all be given another day for trial and that they all come well prepared without any other inconvenience,” countered Faustin Nkusi. After the session, Niyibizi’s lawyer, Adrien Rususuruka, told The New Times that they were ready to present their case. He added that they also sought to have their case separated from Kizito’s or their client be tried alone. “We want to avoid delays,” he said. The four were arrested in April and police say they had worked collectively or individually to plot against the government. Dukuzumuremyi was arrested with a number of grenades which police said he had planned to detonate at various locations in the city. Police said the accused had admitted to working with senior officials within the FDLR militia along with the Rwanda National Congress to carry out terror activities around the country.

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High Court adjourns treason trial to November