Kizito Mihigo leaving Nyarugenge prison in 2018.
Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) confirmed on Friday it is detaining singer Kizito Mihigo over suspected attempt to join armed militia groups meant to destabilise the country as well as corruption cases.
Rwanda Investigation Bureau said via its Twitter handle that Kizito Mihigo was arrested by security officials while trying to escape the country through the porous border in Nyaruguru district, Southern Rwanda.
Yesterday, Social media was awash with speculations that Mihigo, who received a Presidential commutation in September 2018 for the remainder of his 10-year jail term, was arrested along three other men while trying to cross-over to neighbouring Burundi.
He was rearrested two years after he had been sentenced to 10 years on various cases. RIB confirmed his dossier will soon be handed over to prosecution.
President Paul Kagame commuted the prison sentences of Kizito Mihigo and Ingabire Victoire who had been sentenced to 15 years, during a cabinet meeting that also approved the early release of 2,140 convicts found eligible under relevant provisions of law.
Both Kizito Mihigo and Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza’s remaining period sentences were commuted by Presidential prerogative following their most recent applications for clemency in June this year.
Other released convicts at the time included 23 from Bugesera district, 447 in Nyarugenge, Musanze (149) Gicumbi (65); Nyanza (63), Rubavu (158), Rwamagana (455) and 24 from Nyagatare district in Eastern Province. Others are from Huye (484) Muhanga (207), Ngoma (35), Rusizi (7) and 23 from Nyamagabe district in Southern Rwanda.
What awaits Kizito Mihigo
By the time Kizito Mihigo was given presidential clemency, he was serving a 10-year jail sentence. if convicted this time, law No. 027/2019 of 19/9/2019 relating to the criminal procedure in its articles 235-236 on revocation of release on parole and its effects, dictates that the Minister in charge of justice can, upon request by the Public Prosecution, revoke release on parole if the person is sentenced for another offence, shows gross misconduct or breaches conditions imposed by the order granting release on parole.
the law further states that in cases of emergency, the Public Prosecution can order that a person granted release on parole be re-arrested and immediately inform the Minister in charge of justice thereof.
A person whose release on parole is revoked must serve the whole or part of the remainder of the penalty to be served at the time of release on parole being combined with any other penalty that can have been subsequently imposed on him or her.
