Supreme Court rules on Ingabire petition today

The Supreme Court will today announce its decision on an application filed by Victoire Ingabire, who stands accused of terrorism charges.This was confirmed yesterday by the spokesperson of the judiciary, Charles Kaliwabo in an interview with The New Times.In the petition, Ingabire, who heads a yet to be registered political party, FDU-Inkingi, filed at the highest court of the land, challenged the Genocide Ideology Law.The suspect petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a repeal of articles 4 and 9 of the law against Genocide Ideology saying they contradict articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution that guarantee freedom of expression.Her substantive trial and that of her four co-accused — all former rebels—is underway at the High Court.She is accused, among other charges, of terrorism after evidence presented by the prosecution and witness accounts linked her to a group of militiamen based in DRC with whom she allegedly planned to carry out subversive activities on Rwandan territory. Ingabire is also accused of promoting genocide ideology.In her trial, which began in September 2011, the High Court had earlier found her statements at Kigali Genocide Memorial – Gisozi– to be in clear violation of the genocide ideology laws of July 2008.At the memorial, Ingabire allegedly espoused the double Genocide theory of which, while appearing before the Supreme Court, she again claimed she found nothing wrong accusing Tutsis of killing Hutus the same way Hutus killed Tutsis.In a related development, the High Court will on Friday pronounce its verdict in the trial. Since Ingabire is accused of genocide ideology and was challenging the law, High Court judges thought the Supreme Court decision may affect their decision hence deciding to delay their ruling.The prosecution is seeking a life sentence in this case.The four militia officers who were part of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militia, confessed to working with Ingabire to stage subversive activities.

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Supreme Court rules on Ingabire petition today