By Our Reporter
Zambian President Edgar Lungu has landed in big trouble after being accused by rebel commander Callixte Nsabimana aka Maj. Sankara of allegedly supporting rebels that want to overthrow Rwandan President Gen. Paul Kagame.
According to international media reports, Rwanda’s terror suspect Nsabimana, who claimed to be the head of Rwanda rebel group National Liberation Force (NLF), on Monday told the judge at the International and Cross-Border Crimes court in Nyanza, a district in Southern Rwanda, that Zambian President Edgar Lungu helped rebel factions to attack Rwanda.
Nsabimana’s NLF is a military wing of a Rwanda opposition political party, the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change led by Rwandan dissident Paul Rusesabagina, known for protecting people during 1994’s Rwandan genocide as a manager of Hotel des Mille Collines.
Nsabimana appeared in court on Monday where he pleaded guilty of all charges but said that he was misled by some individuals including Kayumba Nyamwasa, a renegade senior officer of the Rwandan army currently seeking asylum in South Africa.
Nsabimana accused President Lungu of allowing them space to operate in his country to overthrow the Rwandan government.
The trial was conducted digitally due to COVID-19 measures whereby all the parties made submissions through a live video link. However, there were glitches from the start of the trial which were resolved and the hearing proceeded.
Nsabimana is facing several charges including the formation of an irregular armed group, complicity in committing terrorist acts, conspiracy and incitement to commit terrorist acts, taking persons hostage, murder, and looting.
However, the Zambian State House has since issued a statement describing Nsabimana’s allegations as false.
In a statement signed by President Lungu’s Special Assistant for Press and Public relations, Isaac Chipampe, State house said that they categorically refute the claims stated unequivocally and that these allegations are false and must be treated with the contempt they deserve.
The statement added that the Zambian Government and the people of Zambia and Rwanda continue to enjoy strong and fraternal relations founded on mutual respect and a common purpose based on shared values and principles
Who Is Nsabimana?
Popularly known as Maj. Sankara, Nsabimana was spokesperson of a rebel outfit FLN, which is accused of attacking villages in Southern Rwanda, killing people, looting and destroying property.
The former rebel leader who promoted himself to the rank of Major, according to the prosecution, began his journey when he was expelled from a government university in Rwanda.
He then reappeared in South Africa as a member of the group led by former RDF chief Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa in 2012. He also spent time in Indian Ocean island of Comoros.
For years, since he began dissident activities in South Africa with the Rwandan National Congress (RNC) of Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa, Sankara always appeared in dark sunglasses.
On capture before his extradition to Rwanda, Sankara was found with a Lesotho passport under the names Kabera Joseph, born from Masisi, DR Congo, which he had acquired in 2013, which is fake.