KIGALI, Nov 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Rwandan government refused to intervene in a criminal case involving two detained former Rwandan military officers in a letter responding to British lawmakers’s request to release them.
Col. Tom Byabagamba, former bodyguard of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Brig. Gen. Frank Rusagara, former Rwandan defence attache to Britain, were convicted by a military court in the capital city Kigali in 2016 and were sentenced to imprisonment of 21 and 20 years respectively for inciting the public against the government and the country’s leadership.
Their cases are presently on appeal at Rwanda’s Court of Appeal.
Five British lawmakers on Monday appealed to the Rwandan government to release the duo in a letter, saying their health was deteriorating rapidly and urgently needed specialized medical attention.
The letter signed by Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye and addressed to Lord Speaker of the House of Lords Baroness D’Souza said there are limited circumstances in which the government can intervene in a criminal case.
“Unless and until invited to do so in accordance with relevant laws and procedures, it would be inappropriate for the executive to comment on any pending case, seek to influence the outcome or intervene as proposed in your letter,” it said.
The government intervention in the case would constitute improper interference with an independent judicial process, he said.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had criticized their detention as violation of international law in response to the petition made by the duo in July 2017.
The letter said the opinions of the group are non-binding on Rwanda’s domestic courts, and advised the duo to seek clemency as provided under Rwandan laws.
