By Lucy Adautin
Rwandan authorities have detained a former lawmaker affiliated with the ruling party on charges of unlawfully possessing weapons, according to police reports.
Eugene Barikana, aged 57 and a member of the Rwandan Patriotic Front party, served as a legislator since 2013 before tendering his resignation shortly before his arrest.
“He is being prosecuted for possessing weapons illegally, he says that he got them while living with soldiers and forgot to return them,” the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) said in a statement.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has not specified the timing of the arrest or the type of weapons discovered, but local media sources report that police officers conducted a search at Eugene Barikana’s residence, uncovering a grenade and an AK-47 rifle.
According to reports, Barikana was apprehended on Saturday, and the RIB statement asserts that he will remain in custody pending further investigation into the source of the firearms and his reasons for possessing them without proper authorization.
Despite attempts to reach RIB officials for additional information, there has been no response to inquiries from AFP regarding the case.
If convicted of illegal possession of firearms, Barikana could face a prison term of up to two years and a fine ranging from one to two million Rwandan francs ($770-$1,540).
Barikana, a relatively lesser-known politician, previously held positions such as director of cabinet in the prime minister’s office and permanent secretary in the ministry of local government.
Since the aftermath of the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has been governed by President Paul Kagame’s RPF party.
