High court rejects Ingabire petition

The Supreme Court, yesterday, rejected a case filed by the embattled leader of FDU-Inkingi, Victoire Umuhoza Ingabire, challenging the use of the law against genocide ideology in her ongoing trial.Ingabire, who faces three counts, including propagating genocide ideology, last month petitioned the Supreme Court, seeking interpretation of the genocide ideology law and if it is relevant in her case.Ingabire had claimed that the prosecution is using the law on genocide ideology retrospectively, since it came into force in 2008, on crimes she allegedly committed in 2007.However, the nine-member jury, headed by Deputy Chief Justice, Zainabu Kayitesi, in its ruling, said Ingabire did not fulfil all the legal requirements while filing her petition.Ingabire, through her lawyer, Gatera Gashabana, had told court that she had failed to secure a copy of the 2008 law on genocide, which was also supposed to be attached to her plea.Prosecution had also requested that Ingabire’s case be rejected, noting it also lacked the necessary legal backing.“The court makes its ruling on the basis of evidence (produced before court) submitted,” Justice Marie Theresa Mukakarisa stated while reading the verdict.According to the ruling, giving Ingabire another chance to produce the missing documents to support her case or to resume the case was immaterial.“Based on the fact that Ingabire’s plea does not fulfil legal requirements, the court rules that her plea be rejected,” she judge said.The law against genocide ideology, which Ingabire was challenging, is currently undergoing amendment but prosecution insisted the review had no bearing on the proceedings of the case.Ingabire faces charges of terrorism, promoting ethnic divisionism and propagating genocide ideology.In the case, she is accused along with four other suspects who have all pleaded guilty.Ingabire is also accused of having colluded with the four, who are former officers with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militia, to form a military activities aimed at destabilising the country.Based in DRC, FDLR is composed of elements largely blamed for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed more than a million lives.

National

High court rejects Ingabire petition