Grenade suspects appear in court

KIGALI - 29 men accused of being behind the series of grenade attacks around the country were, yesterday, arraigned before the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court to defend their application for bail. Court set the bail ruling for today at 4 p.m. Most of the plaintiffs admitted direct involvement in executing the attacks, while others claimed to have prior knowledge of the attacks, but weren’t directly involved in the execution. “Prosecution is requesting provisional detention of all the 29 suspects on the basis that they are accused of recruiting and belonging to a terrorist group, planning and executing activities aimed at causing state insecurity and mass murder,” said Prosecutor Emmanuel Nsengiyumva. Michael Nshimiyimana was part of the 2-member prosecution team. “We request that the accused be remanded based on the gravity of the crimes, and the fact that the accused have no known physical addresses, they can also jeopardize investigations and continue executing terrorist acts.” Nsengiyumva told court. All the accused pleaded guilty. Some claimed they detonated grenades in various parts of the country, especially in Kigali, while others admitted to transporting or storing the grenades and other explosives that were used in the terror attacks. Prosecution revealed that the network of the people behind the grenade attacks are based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and acted in cohort with Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), High Command. Some of the accused were arrested in Burundi. Jean Berchmans Mukeshimana, one of the suspects, told court that he led a large gang of operatives and equipped them with grenades. Fazil Kanyarugunda and Gaetan Musafiri are accused of being behind the series of grenade attacks in the Southern Province. Frodouard Rwandango admitted before court that he is the one who detonated the grenades that blew up at Gisozi Memorial, Chez Venant and Muhima, last year. Ends

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Grenade suspects appear in court