Reporters Without Borders today welcomed the acquittal on appeal of Asumani Niyonambaza, editor of the bi-monthly newspaper Rugari.
A judge at the Nyarugenge High Court in the capital Kigali on 23 April quashed his two-year jail sentence handed down in the lower court on a charge of ?extortion? and ordered his immediate release. The appeal judge said there was no proof of the editor’s guilt.
“We hail the release and acquittal of Asumani Niyonambaza, who has been imprisoned for more than eight months for an offence he did not commit”, the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “The High Court decision does no more than deliver justice to this editor and his newspaper.”
Niyonambaza was sentenced in August 2009. Two other accused, Frank Kalisa presenter on privately owned radio Contact FM and Richard Rutagwenda, sanitary services agent, were both acquitted. Niyonambaza then launched an appeal.
Source: Reporters without Borders (RSF)
