Two Congolese arrested with ‘propaganda’ documents

WESTERN PROVINCE RUSIZI —Two Congolese nationals have been arrested and detained in Rusizi District after being found in possession of documents containing what police called negative propaganda against the government of Rwanda. Safi Mwamvuwa, 38, the chief protocol of the Bourgemestre (Mayor) of Ibanda commune, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Milenge Kigombe, a driver were arrested last Friday, after police found the said document in Mwamvuwa’s handbag. The document written in Kinyarwanda which was seen by The New Times reads in part: “Whoever will be still alive will witness the end of fighting in DR Congo but the war will end up where it started, in Rwanda.” Police said the duo was arrested at Rusizi 1 border post while crossing to Rwanda. “I think their motive of obtaining such documents with serious negative propaganda was to tarnish our government. I consider it as a threat,” police said. However, speaking from Kamembe Police Post, Mwamvuwa denied being the author of the documents, saying she obtained it from another Congolese only identified as Musafari who works in Bukavu. “Though these papers were found in my handbag, to be sincere I know nothing more about them, I got them from a certain radio journalist called Musafiri and I ask for forgiveness,” she said. Mwamvuwa however, said she has previously exchanged other ‘valuable’ information about the Kigali government with Musafiri. Police suspect that the pair works with the Democratic Forces for Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels who are still hiding in the jungles of DRC. By Monday, the suspects were still being detained at Kamembe Police station but police said they would be transferred to Cyangugu central prison for prosecution. Ends