Social media, vernacular media and international mainstream media outlets are abuzz with stories on the release of the jailed terror convict Paul Rusesabagina with the known members of anti-Rwanda circles twisting the development as a stratagem to fit their discredited agenda against Rwanda.
President Kagame exercised his prerogative of mercy yesterday to commute the sentences of Rusesabagina and 19 other members of MRCD-FLN after they wrote seeking a presidential pardon.
However, the anti-Rwanda elements were quick to refer to this move as “pressure mounting from the west” but disparaging damning revelations that the former convicts made in their respective letters to the Head of the State let alone some other legal facts prove them wrong on the “pressure” rhetoric.
For instance, Rusesabagina who is making headlines atoned for atrocities committed by the FLN militia group, an armed wing of the MRCD which he founded, the man also made a U-turn to his declared violent “politics” which he used to advance while chest-thumping about pushing for “regime change in Rwanda”.
The man himself averred: “I will leave questions regarding Rwandans behind me” since he is aware that such politics took prematurely the lives of innocent Rwanda. This is while the Biden administration was also quick to announce that there should be “no place for political violence in Rwanda,” as Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted in a press communiqué on the release of Rusesabagina who is also the US permanent resident.
On the other hand, penalties that the Court imposed on Rusesabagina and accomplices, such as the Rwf412 million- worth of compensation they owed to victims will remain in force; this is as per Art. 228 of the law on criminal procedure.
And again, Under Rwandan law, a commutation does not negate the conviction and can be revoked should crimes be repeated, this is in accordance with the conditions specified in the Presidential Order.
It should be remembered that besides Rusesabagina, President Kagame has on different occasions exercised his prerogatives of mercy as stipulated in the national constitution and pardoned inmates convicted of different crimes including genocide.
ellenkampire