2024 in courts: Landmark rulings, big trials and petitions

The year 2024 witnessed notable court cases in Rwanda and abroad, ranging from legal challenges to financial fraud trials and Genocide-related cases. One of the most prominent cases was that of businessman Davis Manzi, who faced charges of allegedly defrauding individuals of up to $10 million. Other significant cases included a lawyer’s petition against the cybersecurity law. The New Times recaps some key legal developments of the year. Charles Onana trial: A warning to genocide deniers abroad On December 9, a French court convicted French-Cameroonian writer Charles Onana and his publishing director Damien Serieyx for denying the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The Paris Criminal Court's 17th Chamber issued a landmark ruling, fining both men €70 per day for 120 days, totaling €8,400. ALSO REAd: Why Charles Onana’s guilty verdict sends a clear message to Genocide deniers Tom Ndahiro, a genocide researcher, welcomed the ruling, saying the jurisprudence is phenomenal, and I’m confident more cases will follow. Richard Gisagara, a lawyer representing the civil parties in the case, said the genocide denial conviction indicated that “France will no longer be a welcoming land for deniers.” Lawyer’s petition against cybercrime law In March 2024, Rwandan human rights lawyer Jean-Paul Ibambe filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging an article in the law on cybercrimes. The contested Article 39 criminalizes the publication of rumours that could incite violence or damage a person’s credibility. Ibambe argued that the provision was unconstitutional, likening it to criminal defamation, which was repealed by the Supreme Court in 2019. He maintained that defamation should be a civil matter, not a criminal one, as criminalization would infringe on freedom of expression. The Supreme Court has not yet scheduled a hearing. Davis Manzi and the Rwf10 billion fraud case Davis Manzi, a businessman, was in and out of court, in a fraud case involving $10 million (more than Rwf13 billion). Manzi allegedly misled investors in his online business, Billion Traders FX, promising them high returns that he failed to deliver. Kicukiro Primary Court remanded him as the trial in substance gets underway. He faces charges including money laundering, fraud, and illegal foreign exchange trading. Prosecutors claim that Manzi operated without the proper license for online forex trading. Vlogger arrested Vlogger Jean-Bosco Sengabo, alias Fata Kumavuta, was in 2024, slapped with charges of spreading false information, drug abuse, and issuing cyber threats. His case has attracted attention, especially after several celebrities, including singers The Ben and Meddy, accused him of spreading rumours about them. Sengabo maintained that his content was factual. His defence team also questioned the reliability of drug tests that allegedly showed cannabis use. The court is yet to hear the case in substance. Olga Kayirangwa murder case Two men were arrested in October after a 25-year-woman called Olga Kayirangwa died after visiting one of them on September 26 in Kigali. Fred Nasagambe and his friend Gideon Gatare faced murder charges. In court hearings, the prosecutors said Kayirangwa died at Nasagambe’s home and Gatare, a pharmacist, was there. The defendants said the woman died at DMC Hospital where they had taken her for medical attention after an emergency. The Nasagambe and Gatare were released on November 19 at the prosecution’s request on grounds that there was no sufficient evidence pinning them on the alleged murder of Kayirangwa. RDF soldier sentenced to life A military tribunal on December 9 sentenced Sergeant Gervais Minani to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of five civilians in Nyamasheke District. The incident occurred on November 13 after a dispute at a local bar. Minani, who admitted to the crime, was stripped of his military ranks. The tribunal also imposed additional sentences for the unlawful use of a firearm and destruction of military property.

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2024 in courts: Landmark rulings, big trials and petitions