Why is President Kagame Bent on Jailing Diane Rwigara?

Last week, we reported that the High Court in Rwanda discharged and acquitted Diane Shima Rwigara and her mother, Adeline Mukangemanyi Rwigara, of all charges levelled against them by the government.

Diane, who is a strong critic of the Kagame led government, had declared her intention to run against President Kagame in the 2017 polls.

She later saw her nude pictures released on the internet. She was also accused of forgery, treason and stirring up ethnic crisis which led to the arrest and detention of both Diane and her mother for about a year.

The two were granted bail last month and on return to court, the case was dismissed by the high court judge.

Well, it appears the government is still bent on jailing Diane and her mother at all costs.

The National Public Prosecution Agency (NPPA) which had begged the court to jail Diane and her mother for 22 years has said they will not accept the High Court ruling, but will proceed to the appeal court with the hope of having the duo jailed for a long time.

After the court ruling, the judge received accolades for his bravery in the face of pressure to follow his conscience and pass a verdict that will definitely not go well with government officials in the country.

Transparency International in its statement had said ‘Diane and her mother should have not been arrested in the first place’.

Addressing a news conference today, Jean Bosco Mutangana, the Prosecutor General of the National Public Prosecution Agency (NPPA), told journalists that his office was not satisfied with the High Court ruling.

"I believe prosecution has enough evidence to prove the criminality of the duo, which was disregarded by High Court and I can confirm that we have read the full judgment and we will be appealing because we are still within the 30 days set by the law to appeal," he said.

A reporter asked Mutangana if he was not concerned over the political tone the trial may lead to; Jean Bosco Mutangana said it was not his business to bother about that, as his job is to make sure a judicial process takes its full course.

"Whether this will take a political tone or not, that is for someone else to worry about. My job as a prosecutor is to put on a gown and go to court to present the evidence I have on a suspect," Mutangana said.

In a tweet posted immediately after the acquittal last week, prosecution had said they would determine their next course of action after reading the full ruling.

"There is a lot of basis for us to appeal; if the High Court decision is upheld on appeal, at least we would have closed the jurisprudential gap," it said.

What are your thoughts?