There was pandemonium today in the court room as Prison warders tried to separate excited friends and relatives of freed Diane Shima Rwigara and her mother Adeline Rwigara after the High Court ruling granting the duo bail.
Diane and her mother have been unlawfully detained by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda as a result of her criticism of his government. They were arrested along with over a dozen persons after Diane declared intention to run for the post of presidency against Paul Kagame.
Diane and her mother have spent over a year in detention and were charged for treason, facing over 20 years in prison if found guilty.
After her arrest, Rwandan authorities auctioned off more than $1 million worth of their family business.
Rwanda’s Revenue Authority auctioned off machinery from Rwigara’s family business, Premier Tobacco Company, for almost $2 million in order to allegedly recover $7 million in tax arrears that the business owed. This also comes after the Revenue Authority auctioned off some of the business’ processed tobacco for more than $500,000.
Diane Rwigara’s father and former head of the family business, Assinapol Rwigara, died in 2015 in a car accident, when the car he was driving was allegedly hit by a heavy truck. His family claimed foul play, with them alleging he was murdered for ending business with the Rwandan government, and hence fell out of favor with Paul Kagame.
Recently, the National Human Rights Network (NHRN) took the protest to the Rwandan High Commissioner in Kenya on the ongoing attacks of Shima Rwigara, and Mother to demand immediate and unconditional release.
Millions of Africans had criticized Paul Kagame for his treatments of Diane and African Exponent was very vocal in its support for the release of Diane and her mother, publishing countless articles and raising awareness on social media. Hundreds of thousands of people signed an online petition in support of the release of Diane Rwigara.
The news of Diane Shima Rwigara and her mother, Adeline Mukangemanyi Rwigara freedom was announced via her official tweeter handle @ShimaRwigara.
This is indeed a great news for Africa.
More details to follow soon.