The Appeal Court in Kigali on Friday unanimously decided to reduce former presidential guard commander Col. Tom Byabagamba’s prison sentence from 21 to 15 years.
While the judges reaffirmed Col. Byabagamba’s guilt for contempt of the national coat of arms, the judges said the original sentence against this former close bodyguard to President Paul Kagame was “exaggerated.”
During a previous hearing before the military court in Kigali, Col. Byabagamba was also accused of having uttered statements tarnishing the state, some of which occurred as he was on a tour of duty in South Sudan, where he once served in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2011.
Byabagamba was also charged by military court with public incitement, obstruction of justice through concealing evidence.
He and his co-accused, Retired Brig.-Gen. Frank Rusagara, were sentenced to lengthy jail terms of 21 and 20 years respectively by the Military High Court in April 2016 after they were both found guilty of all the charges against them.
Col. Byabagamba, it was heard during the trial, on several occasions, uttered statements tarnishing the state, some of which occurred as he was on a tour of duty in South Sudan, where he once served in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Several officers who served with him at the time in Juba testified for prosecution during the trial.
Specifically, Byabagamba, on top of the utterances he made against the state, was accused of denigrating the national flag while on duty in the South Sudanese capital Juba, where he deliberately refused to salute as it was being hoisted during an official function.
The military prosecution had accused Col. Byabagamba of criticizing the government, alleging state involvement in assassinations of opponents, and complaining about foreign and economic policy.
CU/as/APA