FOR RELEASE
9TH DAY IN JAIL.
Dear Sir/Madam;
Please find here below appending a short chronology of events
Re: the second arrest and detention of madame Victoire INGABIRE,
FDU-INKINGI Chairperson.
- 08th October - 04:00- Police siege. Until the arrest on 14th october,
Victoire INGABIRE remained indoor.
- 09th October: Victoire asked the police spokesperson what was going on
and she was told there was nothing to worry about.
- 11th October: Victoire reached the Prosecutor RUBERWA on phone and
asked whether the bail conditions have changed because of the police
siege. The prosecutor seemed to be surprised and promised to ask the
Criminal Investigation Department.
- 14th October- 12:50: a police team entered the property, put Madame
Victoire INGABIRE under arrest, and took her to CID headquarters. The
police spokesperson informed the public that she is arrested because of
new evidence implicating her in the formation of a terrorist
organisation and that a key witness was arrested the day before along
the DRC common border with documents and details implicating her.
- 14th October - evening: She is transfered to KICUKIRO police detention
facility.
- 14th October - evening: the FDU INKINGI team brought her a mattress,
clothes, blanket and hygienic items. The food was taken to the detention
center as well. All the items are given to the guards and never to the
detainee.
- 15th October: two lawyers visited her, and noticed she was still in
handcuffs since the arrest. She slept in a seated position on the floor,
and no personnal item was provided. She did not eat. The lead lawyer
discussed the detention conditions with the security officers and was
told that they did not make decision. He rushed to the CID headquarters
and left with no assurance that the situation will improve.
- 16th October: the jailers decided to give only the blanket. She is
still in handcuffs. No mattress, no clothes, no hygienic stuff. The
lawyer discussed the situation with the hierarchy. In the evening, the
handcuffs were removed for the night.
All the food provided is returned untouched. No member of the party or
nobody from her house is allowed to see her, nor to talk to her. Total
blackout on her status. At this stage there was no doubt, she was not
eating. We did not know whether she was given food or if she was unable
to eat because of 24-hour handcuffs.
18th October: she is taken to GASABO Court House for the Prosecutor's
interrogation. She is in the same outfit she had the time of her arrest.
Her hair is undone, she is in handcuffs and weak.
18th October - late night, a Medical Doctor is rushed to her cell: The
blood pressure has dropped dangerously, and some medication is given.
The Police accepted this time to give the mattress and hygienic items.
On 19 October, the lawyer asked in a letter to the Police Commissioner
to allow the client to go to hospital or to be seen by an independent
Doctor.
18th - 21st October: Prosecutor's interrogations at the Gasabo Court
House. She is always brought in in handcuffs. She is looking weak,
exhausted and under duress.
21st October: Morning hours, the police rushed in again some medical
staff and some medication is given again before the afternoon
Prosecutor's confrontation exercise with the state-prepared key witness
Major Vital UWUMUREMYI.
During the confrontation, the key witness claimed that he was given in
2008 - 2009 at least 1,000 USD to create, train a rebel group and to
purchase weapons. He informed that since his repatriation in
February 2009, he has never been involved in any other rebel activity.
This gives an impression that the terrorist allegations are over 2 years
old and that police statements in this respect are not accurate, for a
reason.
22nd October: She is again seen by police medical doctor.
Until now, people from our political party are not allowed to see her.
A bail hearing is supposed to happen on the 25th October at the GASABO
Court House
For more information on her status please don't hesitate to be in touch
with the FDU INKINGI Executive members or the lawyer.
Sylvain Sibomana
FDU INKINGI
Secretary General