Ingabire Victoire Umuhoza appeared once again before the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on August 4, 2025, where she continued to request provisional release as she faces various charges. The hearing concerned her appeal against an earlier decision by the Kicukiro Primary Court that had ordered her remand. In her submission, Ingabire presented eight legal arguments to support her request for pretrial release.
Among the arguments raised, she claimed that two of the charges in her case had surpassed the legal statute of limitations. She referred to the charge of spreading false information, allegedly committed during a media interview on October 12, 2021. She pointed out that this offense carries a sentence of no more than six months in prison and that, by law, it becomes time-barred after one year.
She also argued that the charge of planning a demonstration had exceeded the three-year statutory limit, saying she was questioned about this in 2021, and that too much time had passed for the charge to remain valid.
Her defense lawyer, Me Gatera Gashabana, argued that prosecuting a person for expired offenses violates their legal rights. He also criticized a previous court ruling that stated there was “no indication that the accused no longer harbors intentions to commit such acts,” saying that such reasoning lacks legal basis.
The Prosecution disputed these claims, insisting that all charges against Ingabire are still within the legal timeframe. It argued that some alleged offenses, especially those shared on platforms like YouTube, remain publicly accessible, meaning the statute of limitations should begin from the last known publication.
The Prosecution also maintained that it had provided sufficient evidence for all charges, including inciting public unrest and undermining the current government, with legally admissible evidence such as audio recordings and testimony. One of the key witnesses cited is Gaston Munyabugingo. Ingabire, however, contested this evidence, saying the audio recordings were not hers and that the witness was a person with a criminal record who had fled justice.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Court announced that it would deliver its ruling on Ingabire’s appeal regarding provisional detention on July 7, 2025, at 3:00 PM.
