Content creators now have to be careful and selective of what they post after a Rwandan court sentenced Yvonne Idamange.
Idamange received a 15- year jail sentence after her YouTube videos were termed inciting and defaming to the government.
The YouTuber, who currently has 18.9K subscribers, was also fined close to Shs 221,100.
Idamange was found guilty of defaming genocide memorial artifacts and inciting revolutions.
The mother of four was also convicted of assault and causing bodily harm, obstructing the work of law enforcement agencies, issuing a bouncing check and spreading rumours.
In the court session, prosecutors outlined how the content creator intentionally spread the word on the street in various videos to incite individuals to protest at the Office of the President.
During submissions, the prosecution primarily relied on evidence from videos posted on Idamange’s YouTube channel before her arrest and an Rwf400,000 bounced cheque she issued to Emmanuel Nsabimana.
In one of the videos, Idamange claimed that the Head of State “died a long time ago” and that citizens should protest at Village Urugwiro, demanding to see his body.
Idamange went on to call the government a “bunch of bandits.”
According to the videos, Idamange also claimed that COVID-19 had become a new tool for the government to dominate citizens.
She added that the government had turned Genocide memorial sites into tourist attractions, “The government is selling our loved ones’ bodies.”
The evidence also pointed out that Idamange refused to comply with the law on, February 15, after blocking the entry of police officers who had arrived to arrest her.
She injured one of the officers in the process of them trying to gain entry.
By Everlyne Bosibori
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