Nsabimana Callixte(Speaking)
Former Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change and National Liberation Front (MRCD-FLN) spokesman Callixte Nsabimana has reappeared before the Appeals Court where he presented an objection regarding his ‘plea bargaining.’
Nsabimana, through his lawyer Jean Rugeyo pleaded the Court of Appeal to reduce his sentence from 20 years to five years on several grounds including alleged “cooperation with information during the two year long trial, family challenges, and urgent plans to get married to his fiancee.”
This February 2, 2022, Nsabimana reappeared in court and said that the Prosecution office had turned on him in the deal which he had cut to facilitate court with information during the trial.
For Nsabimana, this came unexpected as the convict had revealed inside information which “only a few of the FLN suspects and some witnesses had told the High Court during the earlier trial last year.”
“The prosecution agreed to help me get a short jail term on condition that I divulge information that will help them in this case since FLN was not easy to break through and a problem to the country’s security. The prosecution promised if I help crack the FLN they would also plead a shorter jail term for me,” Nsabimana told court.
He said that, unluckily in his case there was no written agreement which could give the prosecution leverage to deny (in court) this alleged plea bargaining ever happened.
However, the Prosecution interjected asking court not to consider the above arguments on grounds that Nsabimana was given a lower sentence (by the High Court) instead of a life sentence considering his involvement and crimes committed as the former FLN spokesperson.
Prosecution had earlier sought a heavier jail term for Nsabimana asking the appeal court to hand him 25 years.
The FLN case is expected to continue this week however a key convict, Paul Rusesabagina remains in the wind as he has since last year refused to appear before.
