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Callixte Nsabimana now defending himself.
Nsabimana Callixte and his lawyer in court
Former Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change and National Liberation Front ((MRCD-FLN) spokesman Callixte Nsabimana, who was sentenced to 20 years in September last year for terror crimes, has pleaded with Court of Appeal to reduce his sentence to five years.
Nsabimana, who was sentenced alongside 20 co-accused including his ‘Boss’ Paul Rusesabagina told court this January 31, 2022 that after serving his reduced sentence, he is ready to change and become an exemplary law abiding citizen.
For Nsabimana the 20 years sentence he received will leave him as an old man (57 years) when he would not be able to serve the country nor get married to his fiancé in South Africa- with whom, he said, they had planned wedding.
Nsabimana also told court that as a survivor of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, his welfare is not stable and he has a disabled sister to take care of.
The convict also informed court that he suffers from many diseases including blood pressure, ulcers and with the above reasons, court should consider similar conditions to reduce his sentence.
He suggested, that this would give him a chance for rehabilitation.
Nsabimana also pleaded for a better deal based on the fact that he “gave court information on how FLN planned and executed its terror attacks on Rwanda with backing of countries like Burundi and Uganda.
For this reason, Nsabimana said he is ready to work for the government of Rwanda since it can offer him the security he needs.
Presidint judge François Regis Rukundakuvuga asked the defense attorney – Jean Rugeyo to explain his doubts in the earlier High Court sentence handed to his client, and he said that the jail term reduction was not satisfactory as requested by his client.
Court asked why the defense and client didn’t seek a one year sentence instead, but Rugeyo responded that it was a request where his client doesn’t seek total pardon but lenience.
Nsabimana Callixte(L) and Paul Rusesabagina in front line
Nsabimana also intervened in this discourse saying that the crimes he committed don’t deserve to be released but to be punished with lenience in a manner that he can be rehabilitated.
Prosecution interjected asking court not to consider the defense argument saying that it was baseless and shouldn’t be given value in court.
Prosecution seeks a heavier jail term for Nsabimana asking the appeal court to hand him 25 years instead of 20 years he got during the September 2021 final verdict on the FLN terror case in which most suspects were sentenced from 5 to 25 years in the two-year long case.
The appeal trial is expected to continue this week in Kigali city.
