The Military High Court will on Thursday afternoon issue the verdict in the case involving retired Major Habib Mudhatiru and his co-accused, marking the end of the terror trial that began in 2019. Mudathiru alongside his 30 co-accused last appeared in court December 8, where he was giving his final submissions after military prosecution sought life sentence for all the accused. At the time, he told judges that he had pleaded guilty to three charges out of a total of five that he faces. The charges to which he pleaded guilty are; joining a criminal group, conspiracy against an established government or the President of the Republic as well as maintaining relations with a foreign government intending to wage a war. The former head of operations in P5, a military outfit linked to Rwandan dissident Kayumba Nyamwasa pleaded not guilty to the charge of forming a criminal group saying that he was ‘just a member who was recruited’, and not the group’s founder. Operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, P5 is a terror outfit that was created from a merger of different anti-Rwanda outfits. Pleading for a lenient sentence During the court proceedings, Mudhatiru requested that his sentence be lessened from life-imprisonment, as previously requested by military prosecution. However, before beseeching the court for a lenient sentence, Mudhatiru thanked the government of Rwanda for the fair treatment he has been given to nurse his wounds, and also the daily medical assistance given to him to ensure that he survives from diabetes and high blood pressure. The group was arrested in eastern DR Congo by the military in that country before they were sent back to Rwanda. The suspects were recruited from different countries including Uganda – where Mudathiru himself was recruited - and during the proceedings, the neighbouring country was severally cited in providing logistical support to the insurgents.
