The Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge has sentenced Sengabo Jean Bosco, popularly known as Fatakumavuta, to two years and six months in prison, along with a fine of 1.3 million Rwandan Francs, after being found guilty of three offenses: intimidation through defamation, spreading false information, and drug use.
Fatakumavuta was arrested on October 18, 2024, and has already spent eight months in Nyarugenge Prison. According to the law, this time will be deducted from his sentence.
The Offenses He Was Convicted Of:
- Intimidation through defamation:
The court found that his statements were intended to discredit and intimidate others. He was convicted of this crime, which carries a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of 300,000 Rwandan Francs. - Spreading false information:
His speech and behavior in question were considered to be misleading and aimed at deceiving the public, qualifying as false information under the law. This offense carries a sentence of three years in prison and a fine of one million Rwandan Francs. - Drug use:
Although Fatakumavuta denied the test results, the court concluded there was no valid reason to re-test and found him guilty. This offense carries a sentence of one year in prison.
The Offenses He Was Acquitted Of:
Discrimination:
The court found that his comments about Bahati’s wife were not meant to discriminate based on ethnicity, gender, or any other protected ground under the law.
Public Insult:
The court ruled that his statement claiming “The Ben cries like a child” did not constitute a public insult or degrade the artist’s dignity.
Sentence Reduction Due to Mitigating Circumstances:
The court explained that since all the offenses were committed around the same period, it qualifies as concurrent crimes, and the sentences are subject to consolidation. However, because Fatakumavuta admitted to some of the charges, the court granted him mitigating circumstances, resulting in a reduced sentence.
As a result, the original sentence of five years was reduced to two years and six months, along with the fine of 1.3 million Rwandan Francs.
Fatakumavuta has the right to appeal the verdict within 30 days, starting from June 13, 2025, the date the court ruling was issued.
