The adjournment was announced by the President of the Court of Appeal, François Regis Rukundakuvuga.
He revealed that the ruling is postponed to 4th April 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
The ruling on the appeal against the 21 accused individuals sentenced in September 2021, was expected to be read on Monday 21st March 2022.
The decision was announced virtually where the accused followed the event from prison while the Prosecution, one defence lawyer and judges were present in-person at the court.
Rusesabagina who did not appeal against the 25-year jail term, had boycotted the court during trial proceedings citing zero expectation of fair trial. He was also absent during today’s session.
On 20th September 2021, the High Court Special Chamber for International and Cross-border crimes convicted these individuals of different charges including terrorism.
The High Court Chamber for International and Cross-Border Crimes convicted former President of MRCD-FLN terrorist group, Paul Rusesabagina of terrorism charges and handed him 25-year jail term while Callixte Nsabimana alias Sankara, the former spokesperson for the terror group was sentenced to 20 years behind bars.
The remaining nineteen co-accused individuals were sentenced from three to 20 years.
Following the ruling, the accused, plaintiffs and the Prosecution were given 30 days for appeal
Later on, it was said that 13 of convicts and 74 survivors of FLN attacks who sought compensation expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment separately and filed an appeal.
During trial proceedings, 94 survivors of the attacks sought over Rwf1 billion but the court resolved that few of them would get compensated and the amount was below demanded compensation.
Towards the end of last year; the Prosecutor General, Aimable Havugiyaremye said that the appeal was filed following dissatisfaction with verdicts.
He also revealed that the Prosecution was not happy with the acquittal of Rusesabagina on the formation of an irregular armed group and handed sentence among others.
The convicts faced charges including the formation of an irregular armed group, membership of a terrorist group, financing terrorism, murder as an act of terrorism, arson as an act of terrorism, attempted murder as an act of terrorism, and assault and battery as an act of terrorism.
The crimes were committed since 2018 when MRDC/FLN combatants plotted attacks to Rwanda which claimed lives of nine innocent residents in the Southern Province.
They left many others gravely injured, and caused significant material and economic damage in South-West Rwanda.
Leave a Reply