The intermediate court of Nyarugenge in Kigali city on Monday postponed the trial involving four Muslim men that are suspected of plotting terror activities on Rwandan territory through an Islamic fundamentalist movement in 2012.
The Prosecution argue that the five suspects—Amran Rumanzi, Abdalla Kabendera, Yazid Nizeyimana, Ibrahim Rurangwa, and Justine Omar Uwimana—conducted research, held meetings and discussions about the Hizb ut-Tahrir (translated as Party of Liberation), a movement of Muslim fundamentalists bent on “liberating” itself from governments and establishing an Islamic State governed in accordance with Islamic principles.
The Hizb ut – Tahrir describes itself as an international pan-Islamic political organisation with an aim the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate to resume Islamic ways of life in the Muslim world.
The prosecution added that the suspects conducted meetings in their respective homes on a rotational basis and kept their meetings secret from both the religious and government authorities.
Appearing before Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on Monday , the four suspects and their two lawyers seemed set for the appeal hearing, however, it did not materialise since the court decided to postpone it upon the request of the prosecution.
According to prosecution, the accused while filing their appeal submitted an incomplete file because it lacked the judgement by the lower court.
The trial of terror suspects came after one of their comrade was shot dead by Rwanda National Police (RNP) in August 2016 after a three-hour shoot-out in an affluent suburb of the capital, Kigali.
Rwandan Police said they have recently been investigating individuals suspected of links with foreign terror groups.
In January 2016 another Muslim cleric suspected of recruiting for so-called Islamic State was shot dead in Kigali.
CU/abj/APA