Mr. Sylvain Sibomana, FDU-Inkingi interim Secretary-General, was under police detainment at Remera station (Kigali city) today until 14:30. Visiting opposition colleagues noticed traces of blood spurting out of his mouth after being beaten by police officers. The opposition leader was assaulted when he rushed to inquire the situation of Mr. Shyirambere Dominique, a leader of Parti Social Imberakuri in Gasabo District (Kigali city), who spent the night under siege after he refused to open to armed strangers in the night.
Last night, the home of Mr Dominique Shyirambere located in Kacyiru (Amajyambere location, Kamatamu cell, Gasabo District) was attacked by armed intruders around 22:00 who tried to break the door. He refused to open. The assailants decided to spend the whole night behind the door. With his cell phone he called for help in vain. In the morning, Mr. Sylvain Sibomana, FDU-Inkingi Secretary General, reached the place and was immediately assaulted by Mr. Leopold (administrative head of Amajyambere location) together with the very nervous reinforcements security personnel including policemen and soldiers. They were taken to Remera police station for interrogation.
When Ms. Alice Muhirwa (FDU-Inkingi Treasurer) and Mr. Gratien Nsabiyaremye (FDU-Inkingi, Youth Commissioner) went to Remera police station, they were arrested too and interrogated.
Mr. Dominic Shyirambere has been previously imprisoned during the 2010 crackdown on opposition members. He was found not guilty by a local court after one year in maximum prison.
At 14:30, they were all discharged from custody with no further information. The police declined to investigate the beating by security personnel out and in custody. We call upon the National Public Prosecution Authority to investigate those fresh cases of police brutality.
Kigali, 26 August 2012
FDU-Inkingi
Boniface Twagirimana
Interim Vice President.
