Military court to issue verdict in Kinigi terror case on Monday

The Military High Court will on Monday January 31, pass its verdict in the trial involving 38 people attached to the P5 militia group who are being prosecuted for playing a role in the deadly attacks against civilians of Kinigi sector, Musanze district on the night of October 5, 2019. During the attacks, at least 15 people lost their lives, 14 were injured, and property was looted or destroyed. Their trial started in May 2021 and came to a conclusion in December the same year, to give way for the judges to deliberate before they can come up with a verdict. The verdict had earlier been scheduled for January 7, but was postponed. The defendants face multiple counts including murder, accessory to murder, armed robbery, joining an illegal armed group, joining a criminal group, terrorism, battery, conspiring with a foreign government aiming to wage war against Rwanda, and attempting to use war to remove the current government. Some of them directly took part in the attacks, while others claim they had remained at their rear base in the Democratic Republic of Congo when the incursion took place. Military prosecution called for life sentences for each of them. According to military prosecution, the attacks in Musanze were part of a wider plan by anti-Rwandan elements against the government which targeted carrying out incursions in various parts of the country to terrorize the population. During the latest session, the lawyers representing the victims of the attack presented to court the compensations that they are seeking from the defendants. Altogether, the victims are seeking a combined Rwf105,030,000 in compensation for the losses they incurred in the attacks. The victims include those who lost loved ones, those who were injured, those who lost property, among others. P5 is a coalition of armed elements mainly operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Military court to issue verdict in Kinigi terror case on Monday