Ex-head of Rwanda's presidential guard dies in jail 12 years after his arrest

What the report says

Former head of Rwanda’s presidential guard Tom Byabagamba has died in prison, according to BBC Africa. He was 59 and had once served as President Paul Kagame’s personal bodyguard. The article says his death came 12 years after his arrest in 2014, when he and his brother-in-law, retired Brig Gen Frank Rusagara, were detained on accusations of spreading rumours and damaging the country’s image.

Byabagamba consistently denied the allegations, saying they were fabricated. BBC Africa reports that his family says they were never allowed to see him during his detention and do not know the cause of death. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.

A military court convicted Byabagamba in 2016 and sentenced him to 21 years in prison, later reduced to 15 years on appeal. Rusagara received a 20-year sentence and died in prison in March last year. Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Freedom Now, have previously criticised the case as part of a wider pattern of repression in Rwanda and raised concerns about the fairness of the trial and the conditions of detention.

The case is significant because it has drawn continued scrutiny of Rwanda’s treatment of critics and former security officials. BBC Africa notes that rights groups have repeatedly accused Kagame’s government of restricting political opposition and silencing dissent at home and abroad.