Category: News

{{On May 30, The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will deliver its judgment on the prosecution’s appeal challenging the refusal by the lower court to confirm charges against Callixte Mbarushimana, according to a press statement issued on Friday.}}

Judges declined, by majority, to confirm the charges against Mbarushimana on December 16, 2011. Mbarushimana was released from custody a week later and taken to Paris.

They found that there was not sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Mbarushimana could be held criminally responsible for the crimes.

The Prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, had charged Mbarushimana with five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, inhumane acts, rape, torture, and persecution) and eight counts of war crimes (attacking civilians, murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, rape, torture, destruction of property and pillaging).

Confirmation of charges hearing was held from 16 to 21 September 2011. He was surrendered to the custody of the ICC by French authorities on January 25, 2011, in accordance with the warrant of arrest delivered against him on September 28, 2010.

On May 14, 2012, Moreno Ocampo requested the judges to issue an arrest warrant against Rwandese rebel leader, Sylvestre Mudacumura, for crimes against humanity and war crimes, allegedly committed between 20 January 2009 and 31 August 2010, in North and South Kivu Provinces.

Mudacumura is the field commander of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) whose leaders are believed to have taken part in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

{{Clients intending to cash cheques of more than Frw300,000 at Bank Populaire will nolonger be able to do so but wait for upto 24hours after depositing the cheque.}}

This announcement follows the Banks measures to deal with an increasing number of Cheque fraud at the bank says the bank’s manager Konde Bugingo.

It is two weeks now since the bank decided to stop paying cash but this decision has taken many of their clients by surprise, most of whom learn of the sudden changes upon reaching the teller.

Others have however welcomed the move saying it will minimize theft.
Bugingo said that theft using counterfeit cheques had increased significantly adding that more time is needed to ascertain the authenticity of every cheque.

The management of BPR further explained that they are gathering statistics to deduce the number of cheque frauds. The management said that the bank comes across four or five cheque frauds every two months.

Following these cases, BPR has asked its clients to utilize other forms of payments and money transfer without necessarily using cheques.

{{During the 10th Annual meeting of EAC magistrates and Judges Association, African judicial systems have been urged to strengthen their capacity in carrying out trials as opposed to Criminals being tried at The Hague based International Criminal Court.}}

The President of Rwanda’s Supreme Court Prof. Sam Rugege told media that President Kagame supports fully a proper functioning judiciary and it should be supported at all fronts because it is one of the pillars of development.

Prof. Rugege stressed that Africans who have committed crimes in African countries should be tried by African courts.

“There is no full independence if the ICC singles out African countries and ignores war crimes committed elsewhere.”

He recommended good governance and curbing conflicts among populations as the answer to these issues.

He explained that in the event of continued conflict, regional courts such as the East African Court of Justice should intervene, However, their capacity needs to be driven by political will from all member states.

{{Illegal Gold mining ditches in Rulindo district have been suspended and closed off by district authorities during the monthly community work that was conducted on Saturday in the district.}}

District authorities argue that the illegal gold mining activities in Rukozo of Rulindo district and neighbouring Miyove of Gicumbi district have been a threat and to environment thus leading to their suspension.

Justus Kangwange the Mayor of Rulindo district commended the move of indefinitely suspending the mining ditches in the district.

Kangwagye noted that gold mining at Mukaka swamp had severely damaged the area and affecting the environment saying nobody will be allowed to continue with gold search at the swamp.

He also insisted only legalized mining of precious metals will be allowed in both Rulindo and Gicumbi districts.

The mayor also requested Miyove prison to give a helping hand in rehabilitating the dug-up swamp of Miyove by re-filling the mining ditches.

Kangwagye promised that both Rulindo and Gicumbi districts will establish anti poverty campaigns to help former illegal miners.

Bosenibamwe Aimé the governor of Nothern province noted that efforts are being strengthened to fight against drug abuse and narcotics.

{{Mugabe Thomas, a businessman in Kigali is the first subscriber to win a Turkish Airlines ticket to Europe in the on-going Mobile Money promotion.}}

MTN is running a 4-week long Mobile Money consumer promotion, which started on the 16th of May and runs until the 13th of June 2012.

MTN subscribers will also be rewarded with 10 percent bonus on airtime loaded through the Mobile Money platform.

Every day throughout the promotion each of any10 lucky winners receive Rwf20,000 on their Mobile Money accounts, after making at least a registration or a transaction with Mobile Money.

“MTN will also run a draw to give away one Turkish Airlines ticket to any destination in Europe. The more transactions a subscriber makes, the higher the chances he or she has to win the ticket.

Today MTN has given out the first Turkish Airline ticket and in total they will be 4 tickets,” Albert Kinuma, Head of MTN’s Mobile Money said.

During the same promotion 10 lucky mobile money agents will also be rewarded with Rwf20,000 onto their Mobile Money account once they register 35 new subscribers.

There will be a grand winner at the end of the promo and the luckiest foot soldier will win a motorcycle.

{{A senior Commander of the FDLR- Foka Rebel group based in the DRCongo has laid down his gun and returned to Rwanda with other eight rebels.}}

Lt.Col. Mbarushimana Etienne a.k.a Bantu returned to Rwanda on 24 May though the main boarder connecting Rwanda and DRC.

The group was accompanied upto the boarder by over 19 members of their families

Mbarushimana told Press that after spending a lot of time in the jungles of DRCongo, he thought it was wise to return to his home country and work with others to build the country.

He added that while in the Jungles of Congo they listened to Radio Rwanda which provided them major information that helped them decide to return home.

Mbarushimana joined the army in 1991 and fled the country at a rank of Lieutinant. He was formerly resident in Ruhengeri prefecture Kinigi Sector currently Musanze District Northern Province.

{{The Head of “One Laptop per Child Associations”(OLPC Associations), Rodrigo Arboled is in Rwanda where he has visited Groupe Scolaire Kicukiro School one of the 208 schools that have benefited from OLPC.}}

Rodrigo said hee is in the country to thank President Paul Kagame and his leadership that has transformed the country.

“Rwanda’s development is very impressive. There is evidence of development everywhere you go in the country. This is very surprising.”

Rodrigo was surprised to see how the students at Groupe Scolaire Kicukiro are able to navigate the computers in just only a period of five months since they received them.

Nkubito Bakuramutsa the head of one laptop per child in Rwanda said that over Hundred thousand computers have been distributed to students in 208 schools since the program was launched in the country.

{{People living around the volcano areas have been urged to carefully handle stone walls (Gabillons) that were built to guard Rwebeya River from overflow of water from the volcano mountains especially during heavy rains.}}

This was during the official launch of the protective stone walls built to cut down the speed of water flowing down stream.

The stone walls were built by the collaboration of Ministry of Natural Resources and RDF Reserve Forces (inkeragutabara) in Nyange and Kinigi sectors through which the river flows.

In the recent past, Rwebeya river has overflown and claimed lives of some residents and destroyed valuable property and crops.

Lt. Gen. Fred Ibingira the head of the RDF Reserve Forces noted that after winning the war of bullets, the army will always deal with anything that threatens the peace and security of citizens.

Nkuruziza Emmanuel of thehead of Natural Resources agency said this is second phase of the stone walls project after those launched in 2011, “such projects will continue”.

{{The Referral Chamber of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) On 8 May 2012, granted Prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow’s application for the referral of the case of The Prosecutor v. Ladislas Ntaganzwa, Case No. 9609-R11bis, to the Republic of Rwanda for trial.}}

That decision became final yesterday when the time for appeal expired.

Earlier today, in compliance with the Referral Chamber’s order, Prosecutor Jallow officially handed over the material supporting the Indictment against the Accused and other relevant evidence contained in his case file to Alphonse Hitiyaremye, the Deputy Prosecutor General of Rwanda.

The Indictment charges the Accused, who was the former mayor of Nyakizu commune in Butare, with genocide; direct and public incitement to commit genocide; and extermination, murder, and rape as crimes against humanity.

The handover ceremony took place at the ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania. It marked the completion of a week-long official mission of senior Rwandan prosecutors to the ICTR that was led by Deputy Prosecutor General Hitiyaremye.

During the ceremony, Deputy Prosecutor General Hitiyaremye thanked Prosecutor Jallow for his efforts in securing the referral of this case to Rwanda for trial. He noted that this was the fourth case to be successfully referred to Rwanda in recent months.

“Your Excellency Justice Jallow and your team, this great achievement by the OTP has brought legal changes and will go in the history of this tribunal as precedent for other national jurisdictions to refer to when taking similar decisions to extradite Rwandan genocide fugitives living a round the world.

Rwanda has already issued 138 indictments and arrest warrants against genocide fugitives living in 23 countries and with the already taken decisions by this tribunal; we expect extradition decisions in our favour in the near future. “

Prosecutor Jallow expressed his confidence that the responsible Rwandan officials would ensure the fair trial rights of the Accused in this case and the other ICTR cases that have been referred.

“The successful referral of this and other cases to Rwanda is an important step in the ICTR’s completion strategy and helps ensure that those responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda do not escape with impunity.”

Prosecutor Jallow further noted that, as part of its order, the Referral Chamber has issued a Warrant of Arrest and Order for Transfer of the Accused to the custody of Rwanda.

He called upon all States that are members of the United Nations to lend their continued support to Rwanda’s efforts to apprehend the Accused in this case, as well as the fugitives in the two other cases (Charles Sikubwabo and Fulgence Kayishema) that have been referred to Rwanda for trial.

{{In the latest development in DRCongo, Four armed groups operating in Ituri have formed a coalition of armed groups in Ituri (COGAI). The coalition leader is Col. Banaloki a.k.a Cobra Matata.}}

In a press statement released on Thursday 24 May, the new coalition is calling on the Congolese government for an amnesty for all militias operating in Ituri and the recognition of this district as a province of the DRC.

Outside the Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (FRPI) of Cobra Matata, other armed groups that have signed the act of creation of this coalition are: The Popular Front for the sustainable development of the Ituri Eneko Kila. The Armed Force for the revolution of a Kabuli Integration of the Armed Forces of Ituri.

Most of the militia leaders are deserters from the Armed Forces of DRC (FARDC).

These militias are also calling for the creation of a military region in Ituri led by a native of this district and the immediate departure of Col. Fal Sikabwé, current head of operations in the area.

They accuse Col. Sikabwé of murdering Gen. Floribert Kisembo who had deserted from Congolese army, he died a year ago in Djugu after a hunt against him by loyalist forces.

Residents in the area have demanded local and national authorities to engage with such militia “to find a way out.”

However, FARDC in Ituri, say they do not believe in the existence of this coalition.

In February of this year, Cobra Matata had expressed willingness to join the army with his men saying, “it is time to make peace.”

Civil society in Ituri had invited the head of the Congolese State, Joseph Kabila to respond to its request by granting its militia and himself an amnesty.