Prosecution opposes bail for Ntaganda co-accused

A High Court case contesting the decision by the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court to grant bail to five people accused with Bernard Ntaganda, the embattled and detained leader of the splinter faction of the political party, PS Imberakuri, yesterday failed to take off after some of the individuals failed to turn up. The five individuals together with Ntaganda were arrested on June 24 and charged with planning an illegal demonstration and threatening state security. They were released on July 8 but Ntaganda, who had extra charges of organising a terrorist group, promoting genocide ideology and ethnic divisionism, was denied bail on grounds of the seriousness of his charges. Two other people who had been arrested were cleared of all charges. However, Prosecution appealed the courts decision to grant bail to Sylvain Sibomana, the Secretary General of FDU Inkingi, Martin Ntavuka an FDU member, Jean Baptiste Icyitonderwa, a student of Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and member of PS Imberakuri and Sylvere Mwizerwa. Prosecution appealed the bail on grounds that the five equally have a serious case to answer which involves threatening state security. “Any case that involves someone threatening the security of the state should not be taken lightly--the Constitution is clear on that. There is also a possibility that these were also part of the larger group that Ntaganda was organising to create fear in the masses through terrorist activities,” a source in the prosecution who preferred anonymity said. However the High Court postponed the hearing because three of the accused did not turn up, claiming that they had not received court summons. Court had also not received the outcome in the bail ruling of Alice Muhirwa, the treasurer of FDU-Inkingi who missed the bail ruling because she was allegedly sick. She was later discovered to be healthy. Ends

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Prosecution opposes bail for Ntaganda co-accused