Gitega: five years in prison still required for Emilienne Sibomana
In a trial before the Court of Appeal which took place this Thursday at the central prison of Gitega, the public prosecutor accused Emilienne Sibomana, secretary at the Christ Roi high school in Mushasha in the political capital, of slanderous denunciation and requested five years in jail. She had brought to the public’s attention the abuse of minors committed by the director of that high school Léonard Ntakarutimana, a priest. INFO SOS Médias Burundi
Absent at the public hearing, Father Léonard Ntakarutimana was represented by Gertrude Nibigira, his lawyer, who indicated that the remarks made by Emilienne Sibomana have no proof, due to the lack of victims to testify for the prosecution.
Assisted by lawyer Michella Niyonizigiye, Emilienne Sibomana explained that she had spoken in a meeting with the authorization of Minister François Havyarimana in charge of education. She affirmed that she could not ignore the actions of the priest and school principal who abused his authority by sleeping with his students in his office.
“Father Léonard Ntakarutimana used to frequent the girls’ dormitory where he lured them with donuts and other appetizers. He even allowed these young girls to wash naked in the courtyard,” warned Emilienne. Sibomana.
She insisted that she presented these facts to the head of the diocesan education office in Gitega who did not respond.
Emilienne Sibomana said she did not understand how Father Léonard Ntakarutimana remained as director of the Christ Roi technical high school in Mushasha despite his revelations.
In the indictment, the public prosecutor requested “confirmation of the sentence of 5 years in prison handed down by the jury of judges of the Gitega high court” while the civil party represented by lawyer Gertrude Nibigira requested “compensation of five million in favor of Father Ntakarutimana”.
Emilienne Sibomana reported that “she did not intend to cause harm but rather to save the lives of the children and asked to be released in order to return to her family and her home post.”
The case was brought under coonsideration and the verdict will be pronounced within a month.
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