Mugesera’s bail appeal rejected

The High Court on Friday rejected an appeal by Genocide suspect, Leon Mugesera, to be granted bail. Mugesera was challenging a decision by the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court to remand him for 30 days.Mugesera, who is accused of inciting the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, had appealed to the High Court claiming that the Intermediate Court ignored legal procedures and the principles of equality and equity.However, in his ruling, the High Court Judge Athanase Bakuzakundi, noted that the Intermediate Court worked within the confines of the law and that there were no irregularities.“The High Court recognises Mugesera’s appeal but upholds the decision of the Intermediate Court on grounds that Mugesera’s argument is baseless and lacks sufficient proof,” Judge Bakuzakundi ruled.During his appeal, Mugesera had told the court that the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court violated procedures by allowing the prosecution to speak before he could.However Judge Bakuzakundi pointed out that under no circumstance would Mugesera have spoken before the prosecution yet it’s the prosecution that filed a case against him.Mugesera had also requested the Intermediate Court to grant him more time to review his case file since the prosecution had spent three months and 24 days with the file, but the court turned down his request.However, the judge at High Court again upheld the lower court’s decision saying that considering the time Mugesera has held his case file, there was no need to accord him more time.Following yesterday’s ruling, Mugesera is now remanded in prison for 30 days from the day the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court passed the verdict. He is due to appear in the High Court Special Chamber on July 29 as his case will be starting in substance.Mugesera, a former lecturer, is mainly accused of having given an incendiary speech in 1992, which prosecution insists was critical in inciting the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.He was deported from Canada in January this year after he lost an almost two-decade legal battle as against deportation.

National

Mugesera’s bail appeal rejected