Political Associate of Dr Kayumba Christopher, Sentenced to 10 Years

Jean Bosco Nkusi, in charge of Recritement and Mobilisation in a political organisation founded by Dr Kayumba Christopher, has been handed a lengthy jail term.

The Gasabo Intermediate Court in Kigali ruled in a verdict put in the court filing system that Nkusi and four co-accused are guilty of forming ciminal organisation and other charges.

The other co-accused are MUGUNGA Etienne, KABAYABAYA Francois Xavier, MUHIRE Theogene and MUGWANEZA Ismael.

As a consquence, they were each sentence to 10 years in jail.

Their case goes back to 22nd March last year when RIB revealed it had arrested six men for alleged involvement in violent theft.

According to RIB, the suspects were arrested separately after the victim, a trader in Gisozi, was kidnapped and held at ransom before giving them Rwf1million to secure his release.

The suspects allegedly appeared at the trader’s shop on March 2 and presented themselves as officers from the Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).

They were six and driving two vehicles, three in each car. They allegedly handcuffed him and drove off with him. They told the trader that he was being taken to answer charges of tax evasion. Along the way, they asked him to offer them Rwf10million and he would be free.

RIB told local media that the suspects drove the trader around town as he pleaded for mercy. Eventually, they accepted to take Rwf1million and set him free.

RIB spokesman Dr Thiery Murangira said the trader reported the case to RIB the next day. “we began investigations,” said Murangira.

RIB said the four included Theogene Muhire who was apparently dismissed from Police for misconduct, Ismael Mugwaneza, and Francois Kabayabaya, as well as Jean Bosco Nkusi, whom RIB said had claimed to be a RRA employee.

RIB told the press that NKusi had even pleaded guilty to have played a role as an tax expert in this theft operation. It also claimed that Nkusi was previously arrested in December 2019 for embezzlement of funds where he worked as an Accountant and served his sentence at Nyarugenge Prison.

Within days, their case went to court.

However, Nkusi’s case raised eyebrows because he was arrested while he acted as the in charge of Recruitment and Mobilisation in the Rwandese Platform for Democracy (RPD Rwanda).

Media researcher and university lecturer Dr Kayumba had founded RPD on March 16.

However, throughout the court process and also following the arrest, government entities said Nkusi’s arrested was not in anyway related to his political activities.

Nkusi has been in detention at Mageragere prison as he was denied bail.

Meanwhile, his leader Dr Kayumba, is also himself in detention since September last year, awaiting his trial on alleged rape and attempted rape. He has said the cases are politically motivated.