Bwishyura Primary Court in Karongi District on Thursday remanded for 30 days John Peter Rwema, the executive director of the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR), for alleged rape. Rwema was arrested on October 17 after a 28-year old woman lodged a complaint that he had raped her in a hotel the night before. Rwema. After the hearing that was held in camera, court ruled in the afternoon that the accused should be remanded for 30 days, according to a local web-based publication, Umuseke. Reading the court ruling, the presiding judge dismissed as baseless the defence presented by the suspect that the victim was dressed in a provocative way when she entered his room, prompting him to rape the victim, a woman said to be in her twenties. The judge also said that the suspect could escape from justice if granted bail. The judge said that the testimony by a witness called Nelson Ngirimana directly pins the suspect as the witness said that he heard the woman screaming and calling for help. The court ruling that was delivered in public despite proceedings having been held in camera. The victim had allegedly traveled to Karongi from Kigali to attend a training organised by AMIR. Article 197 of the Rwanda penal code about the penalty for rape on a person aged 18 years or above says that any person who rapes a person aged eighteen years or above shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of more than five years to seven years. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
