Arrested officers not linked to renegade General - RDF

KIGALI - The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has refuted media reports linking the arrests of Lt. Gen. Charles Muhire and Maj Gen Karenzi Karake to renegade Lt. Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa and the recent grenade attacks in the city. Lt. Gen. Muhire was recently suspended due to “serious charges of corruption and misuse of office” while Maj. Gen. Karenzi was suspended on charges of “immoral conduct that contravenes and undermines the values and ethos of the Rwanda Defence Force”, as announced recently by the military spokesman, Major Jill Rutaremara. In a statement released yesterday, Rutaremara said that; “neither Lt Gen Muhire nor Maj Gen Karenzi has ever been questioned over grenade attacks or alleged coup attempt, since there has never been any coup attempt”. He added that the charges against the two Generals were made very clear and that there should not be any speculation. “There is no intelligence information linking the two generals to the grenade attacks unlike the case of Kayumba Nyamwasa,” Rutaremara said. He emphasized the arrests were not unusual. “It is not the first time Generals are arrested ... the arrest and even trials of Generals in the RDF go far back beyond the fleeing of Kayumba Nyamwasa, and there are records to that effect,” he said. He further dismissed allegations that the recent arrest signals a rift in the leadership of the RDF. “RDF is a solid and coherent institution and its strength lies primarily in its self discipline and in its boldness and resolve to fight impunity,” said the spokesperson. He further observed that systems that fail to fight impunity have either paid a high price or will ultimately do so. “The suspension and arrest of the two Generals was an action taken in order to enforce discipline, moral conduct and accountability in the Rwanda Defence Force”. Ends

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Arrested officers not linked to renegade General - RDF