Metro

Rwanda YouTuber, Dieudonné Niyonsenga, loses appeal for breaching COVID-19 protocol, risks 7-year jail term

Published

3 years ago

March 20, 2022

Popular Rwandan YouTuber, Dieudonné Niyonsenga has had his appeal turned down, a seven-year jail sentence slammed on him by a High Court in November 2021 on charges of assault, obstructing police officers, and practicing journalism without a press card.

Niyonsenga’s problems date back to 15 April 2020, when he was arrested while on his way to cover the impact of the government’s coronavirus lockdown, and was charged with contravening the lockdown and showing false press cards to the police.

Niyonsenga is the proprietor and a reporter for Ishema TV, a YouTube channel that gives reportage on a wide variety of issues like local politics, culture, and human rights.

The Rwanda Investigation Bureau, in charge of criminal investigations, on April 15, 2020, took to Twitter to announce the arrest of the popular YouTuber and a driver of Ishema TV, Fidele Komezusenge, for allegedly breaching COVID-19 lockdown rules.

The bureau claimed the YouTuber resisted orders from officials to go home, arguing that he was a journalist and is permitted movement during the lockdown. He was also accused of forging press cards.

Prosecutors alleged that Niyonsenga had forged press cards for himself and Komezusenge, saying that only the Rwanda Media Commission could issue such cards, according to the court documents and the person who spoke with CPJ. The crime of forgery carries a prison term of up to seven years under Rwanda’s 2018 criminal code.

Prosecutors also alleged that because he did not have an accreditation from the RMC, Niyonsenga was impersonating a journalist, according to the person who spoke to CPJ and the court documents. Prosecutors also accused Komezusenge of impersonation, saying he did not have journalistic qualifications or RMC accreditation, according to the court documents.

Niyonsenga and Komezusenge pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their defence argued that Rwandan law permitted citizens to establish websites to disseminate information; that Ishema TV was properly registered; that Niyonsenga had a right to issue company ID cards; and that accreditation by the RMC did not have journalistic status to anyone.

Both were remanded for the duration of their trial, according to media reports. On March 12, 2021, the Gasabo Intermediate Court in Kigali acquitted them both, and they were released on March 13, according to Niyonsenga’s lawyer.

However, prosecutors appealed Niyonsenga’s acquittal, and on November 11, 2021, the High Court in Kigali convicted him of forgery, impersonation and humiliating state officials, according to media reports.

Niyonsenga was fined 5 million Rwandan Francs (US$4,900) by the court and was sentenced to seven years in prison, the maximum prison term for forgery, according to media reports. Shortly after the court’s ruling, police detained Niyonsenga from his home in Kigali, according to the journalist’s Twitter posts and media reports.

The journalist had posted videos that indicted soldiers of severe abuses against poor persons during the coronavirus lockdown.

The YouTuber and his lawyer were absent in court. His father was present in court as the ruling that upheld the sentence was made, even though no new evidence was made.

Human Rights Watch has accused Rwanda earlier in the week of censoring freedom of speech and demanded the immediate release of Niyonsenga and other bloggers, activists, and journalists.

However, the government has issued a statement dismissing the concerns raised by the rights group, saying everyone was equal before the law.

Metro

Zambian govt targets K1bn in unremitted non-tax revenue

Published

9 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Zambian government says it is intensifying efforts to recover over K1 billion in unremitted non-tax revenue, with the end of October as the targeted dateline.

Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, who made the announcement, said the office of the Auditor General has resolved to ensure transparency and accelerate collection, with plans to publish the details of all organizations and individuals who are yet to remit these funds.

Musokotwane noted that a report submitted by the office of the Accountant General to the Secretary to the Treasury showed that as of June 2024, a total of K1,078,158,586.39 in non-tax revenue remained outstanding.

He noted that the funds owed by various stakeholders to government ministries and agencies are crucial for financing key public services.

“To accelerate the remittance of outstanding revenue by respective stakeholders, the government will publish details of all organizations and individuals who are owing. We anticipate positive results from the exercise,” Musokotwane said in a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday.

He emphasized that failure by some organizations and individuals to remit non-tax revenue was inconsistent with the government’s macroeconomic goals for 2024, which aimed to boost domestic revenue collection to at least 22 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Undoubtedly, to achieve this target, the assigned ministries and agencies have the full backing of the Treasury in pursuing all relevant channels to ensure that the targeted non-tax revenues for various goods and services they render on behalf of the government are remitted by the end of October 2024,” Musokotwane said.

He added that the unremitted revenue relates to services provided in sectors including energy, tourism, labour, water development and sanitation, transport and logistics, and home affairs and internal security.

The minister reiterated that government remained committed to ensuring that all outstanding non-tax revenue was collected within the stipulated time frame to strengthen public finances and support key national priorities.

Metro

With absence of President, VP, Nigerian Presidency insists no leadership vacuum

Published

15 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

With the absence of President Bola Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shettima, from the country, the Nigerian Presidency insists there is no vacuum in governance.

Tinubu had travelled to the United Kingdom on October 3 in what the Presidency had said was a two-week working vacation without transmitting powers to his vice.

On Wednesday, October 16, it was also announced that Shettima had jetted out to Sweden, which made many Nigerians question why both the President and the Vice President should be absent from the country at the same time.

But in a statement by Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency sought to clarify the position, stating that there was no need to panic as governance was still running smoothly despite the absence of the duo.

“It is important to note that the President and Vice President are fully engaged with the nation’s affairs, even while they are away. There is no leadership vacuum in the country,” Onanuga said.

“President Tinubu left the country on Oct. 3 and is on a two-week working vacation. During this time, he has been busy answering phones and issuing directives on matters of state.

“He will soon return to the country before the vacation officially expires.”

He also explained that the vice president departed the country Wednesday for Sweden on an official visit, and all state organs were functioning as usual.

“The Senate President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, and Service Chiefs are all in their respective positions, ensuring the smooth operation of the government.

“We had a similar situation in 2022 when former President Buhari and former Vice President Osinbajo were found to be simultaneously out of the country.

“President Buhari attended UNGA 77, while Osinbajo participated in the burial of Queen Elizabeth ll,” he noted.