The Family of late President Habyarimana's Personal Doctor to Sue Rwanda’s The New Times for Defamation.

256 News
29 January 2010
By Godwin Agaba

The family of the late Dr. Emmanuel Akingeneye has threatened to sue The New Times, a mouthpiece newspaper of the ruling RPF party, 256news.com has
learnt.

Dr. Akingeneye was the personal physician of late Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana. The two men were killed together in the 1994 attack on the presidential plane at Kanombe airport in Kigali on April 6, 1994.

The family of Dr. Akingeneye is to sue The New Times, arguing that a
commentary the paper published in Issue No. 2025 of 28th January 2010
claiming that Dusabe Therese, the mother of Rwandan opposition presidential aspirant, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza was Dr. Akingeneye’s concubine.

According to The New Times, the Gacaca court of Butamwa has already
sentenced Ms Dusabe Therese in absentia to life imprisonment for her
role in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

According to The New Times, Dr. Akingeneye fathered Ingabire
Victoire’s young sister, Uwineza, Regine who later married an Ex-FAR
Captain. The same commentary alleged that Mrs. Ingabire was
able to get employment in the Finance Ministry (Customs Department)
through the influence of Dr. Akingeneye.

The commentary titled “Ms. Ingabire Victoire, an ardent advocate for
racial politics, now resorts to the victimization card,” by Felix
Muheto, was intended to give a background to Mrs. Ingabire.

A daughter of Dr. Akingeneye and a family lawyer called 256news.com last
night and informed it that the lawyer is travelling to Rwanda
next week to sue The New Times for allegedly defaming their deceased father.

“This is a totally false story. Our family has no relation whatsoever
with Ingabire and we don’t know her. The story was only intended to
tarnish the reputation of the family. That’s why we want the author to
provide evidence in court to support his allegations,” said Dr.
Akingeneye’s daughter who spoke on behalf of the family over the phone
from Brussels.

The case is expected to raise temperature in Rwanda since it is the first time the official government mouthpiece is sued for defamation.