Rwanda: Court Postpones Church Pastor’s Hearing On Fraud, Porn Distribution Charges

Kicukiro Primary Court on Thursday, October 24, postponed the bail hearing of Pastor Jean-Bosco Harerimana of Zarephat Holy Church, and his wife Jeanne Nsengiyumva, to Tuesday, October 29. The couple which faces charges of fraud, blackmail, and distributing pornographic material through digital platforms was arrested on October 9.

The hearing’s postponement comes barely a week after, in a statement released on October 18, Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) announced it had revoked the legal personality of their church, citing non-compliance with legal requirements.

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The court’s decision to postpone the hearing followed a request from the defence, who informed the judge that they had not yet reviewed the prosecution’s case file detailing the accusations.

Harerimana raised concerns about his confiscated cell phone, which he claimed contained key evidence for his defence. He requested the court’s assistance in retrieving the phone from the prosecution.

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In response, the prosecution acknowledged the defendants’ right to access the indictment to prepare their defence. However, they argued that the matter of the phone should be handled outside of court, noting that Harerimana and his legal team could request access to the phone’s contents without requiring the phone to be returned in full, as it remains in the custody of investigators.

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Due to the need for the defence to go through the indictment, the judge postponed the trial.

If found guilty of fraud, the couple could face prison sentences ranging from two to three years and Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million, in fines.

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