Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, leader of the unregistered opposition party DALFA-Umurinzi, appeared before the High Court in Nyamirambo on Wednesday, June 19, where she denied any involvement in an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the Rwandan government.
Ingabire was summoned under Article 106 of Rwanda’s criminal procedure law, which allows judges to call individuals believed to possess relevant information in a case, even if they are not formal suspects. The hearing is part of the ongoing trial of YouTuber Théoneste Nsengimana and eight co-accused, including Sylvain Sibomana, who are charged with planning non-violent resistance under the cover of English language training sessions.
Ingabire Rejects Allegations
During the hearing, Ingabire firmly denied any knowledge of or participation in the alleged activities. She stated that her party, DALFA-Umurinzi, had never been officially registered and thus had not conducted any political activities.
“After we submitted our registration documents, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) informed me that I was not allowed to form a political party. Since then, we have not held any activities under the party’s name,” she told the court.
The prosecution questioned her about a nickname, “Inkora IVU,” which allegedly linked her to the accused. Ingabire dismissed the claim, saying, “Unless people used that name without my knowledge, I don’t recognize it as mine.”
Disputing Links to “English Training”
The judge pressed Ingabire on whether she had any connection to the “English training” sessions attended by the accused. She admitted that she once helped her former assistant find an English program but clarified that it was unrelated to the case.
“Linking that with the trainings the accused are said to have attended in 2021 is misleading. These were different in purpose and time,” she said.
Regarding Sibomana’s stay at her home after his release from prison, Ingabire acknowledged that he had mentioned attending a non-violence training but stressed that she had no role in organizing it.
“It was part of his private life. I neither facilitated nor followed up on it,” she stated.
Prosecution Cites YouTube Content
The prosecution referenced content from Nsengimana’s YouTube channel, Umubavu TV, which allegedly included messages inciting unrest around “Ingabire Day.” Ingabire explained that she had appeared on the channel in 2019 for political discussions but later delegated further engagements due to her studies.
“The press release and video mentioned by the prosecution were prepared abroad as promotional material for a planned debate,” she said.
Defense Challenges Witness Credibility
Ingabire’s lawyer, Gatera Gashabana, argued that the accusations were baseless.
“She played no role in the alleged training or its organization. DALFA-Umurinzi was never allowed to function, and all political activities under its name were halted,” he said.
He also questioned the reliability of the prosecution’s key witness, referred to as “Boniface.”
Background and Ongoing Trial
Ingabire, a former presidential candidate, was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2013 for conspiracy and divisionism but was released in 2018 under a presidential pardon.
The current trial revolves around allegations that Sibomana and others organized clandestine training sessions inspired by Serbian activist Srdja Popović’s book Blueprint for Revolution, which teaches non-violent resistance strategies. Prosecutors claim the sessions were foreign-funded and involved encrypted communications.
The court is set to resume hearings on Thursday afternoon, with further testimonies expected.
