20110115
New Times

Kigali — The Military High Court (MHC), in Kanombe, yesterday, sentenced Kayumba Nyamwasa and Theogene Rudasingwa, to 24 years in prison.

The two were found guilty of forming a terrorist group, threatening state security, undermining public order, promoting ethnic divisions and insulting the person of the President of the Republic. Their sentence includes four years for deserting the Army. The two were also dismissed with disgrace from the Rwanda Defence Forces.

Announcing the verdict, the President of the court, Brig. Gen. Peter Bagabo, also handed a 20-year sentence for two of their co-accused - Patrick Karegyeya, and Gerard Gahima.

During the hearing on January 3, Military Prosecutors had requested the court to sentence Nyamwasa and Rudasingwa to 35-years each.

In the course of the trial, court also heard that the fugitives were involved in other crimes which were still under investigation.

A UN Security Council Group of Experts' report, last year, confirmed that Kayumba and Karegyeya were working closely with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militia, a terrorist organisation based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A former top FDLR commander, who defected recently, corroborated the Security Council's report.

Col. Amri Bizimana told reporters recently that the fugitives had established strong links with the FDLR as they work to combine resources and strategies to destabilize the region.