Former commander of Rwanda’s presidential protection unit, Colonel Tom Byabagamba, has died while serving a prison sentence. He was 59.
Byabagamba, who had previously worked as President Paul Kagame’s close-protection officer, was detained in 2014 together with his brother-in-law, retired Brigadier-General Frank Rusagara.
The two men were accused of spreading false information and damaging the reputation of Rwanda’s authorities.
Byabagamba consistently rejected the charges, insisting that the accusations against him had been manufactured.
His brother, David Himbara, told the BBC’s Great Lakes service that relatives had not been able to establish what caused the former soldier’s death because they had been denied access to him for years.
Human rights organisations have long raised concerns about the treatment of political opponents and government critics in Rwanda, both inside the country and overseas.
A military tribunal found Byabagamba guilty in 2016 and initially handed him a 21-year prison term.
An appeal subsequently reduced the punishment to 15 years.
Rusagara received a 20-year sentence.
Rusagara, who had previously served as secretary-general of Rwanda’s defence ministry, died behind bars in March last year.
Human Rights Watch described his passing as the “lonely death of a general”, saying his relatives had not heard from him since shortly before his arrest in 2014.
According to the rights organisation, authorities told Rusagara’s family that he had been suffering from cancer.
Human Rights Watch has also described the proceedings against both men as deeply flawed, citing allegations of torture and interference with witnesses.
Freedom Now previously characterised their imprisonment as arbitrary and contrary to international law.
Byabagamba is survived by his wife and two sons.
By Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong