Urgent Appeal to Stop Intimidation and Tampering of Defense Witnesses in Ingabire Trial

Press ReleaseFDU-Inkingi
12 April 2012

Defense witness Colonel Michel Habimana, who revealed yesterday the case against opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was trumped up by Rwandan intelligence services in order to stifle her political ambitions, is experiencing heavy intimidation and threats to change his story. The state
machinery has embarked on an outrageous mission to “flip” or destroy defense witnesses. Today, the witness narrated to the High Court his ordeal after yesterday's open court testimony and asked for protection, fearing for his life. We believe the prosecutor's contemptible conduct and threats towards
defense witnesses are aimed at creating terror in anybody willing to tell the truth in this case.

After his oral testimony in court, witness Michel Habimana found his cell turned upside down, all his notes seized, his blankets on the floor, and the mattress torn. He was afterwards interrogated for hours in some kind of “turn or burn threat” by the Kimironko detention facility director, Mr
Michel Kamugisha, together with a very nervous unknown official who
declined to disclose neither his identity, nor his rank.

The prosecutor surprised the public when he handed over to the court the hand-written drafts of the witness' statement and told the High Court this was proof that Michel Habimana's testimony was prepared by unknown people acting on behalf of the defense in order to destroy parts of the
indictment. There is no doubt the violation of his privacy and his subsequent grilling were ordered by the prosecutor after his open court statements. The interrogators were pressuring the witness not to pursue his story by intimating him, stating he would face dire consequences. Similar threats
towards other potential defense witnesses have been reported.

If the High Court does not seriously reprimand this behavior, no other defense witness will put his life at risk to testify. Political prisoner Victoire Ingabire is charged with grave allegations. If convicted of them, she will spend the rest of her life in prison. The witnesses that can prove her innocence are being intimidated and threatened by the Rwandan government. We call upon the international community and friends of Rwanda to intercede and demand fair due process.

For the FDU-INKINGI,

Boniface Twagirimana
Interim Vice President