By David Himbara
In the leaked conversation, Busingye acknowledges that the government of Rwanda has read the correspondence between Paul Rusesabagina and his defence attorneys.
A conversation between the Rwandan Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye, and Terence Fane-Saunders, the Executive Chairman of the British PR firm, Chelgate Ltd, was leaked to Al Jazeera on February 26, 2021. Terence Fane-Saunders and his Chelgate is responsible for cleaning up the image of General Paul Kagame’s regime. In the leaked conversation, Busingye acknowledges that the government of Rwanda has read the correspondence between Paul Rusesabagina and his defence attorneys. This is most embarrassing.
Rusesabagina is currently on trial in Rwanda after he was abducted by the Kagame regime from Dubai to Rwanda. In admitting that the government read Rusesabagina’s defence documents, Minister Busingye conceded that fair trial in that country is not possible. By reading Rusesabagina’s correspondence with his lawyers, Rwanda proved that the attorney-client privilege which is one of the oldest privileges for confidential communication between a lawyer and a client does not exist in Kagame’s Rwanda. In countries governed by laws, confidentiality encourages clients to make full and frank disclosures to their attorneys. Only then can attorneys provide their clients’ candid advice and effective representation in the court of law.
Kagame threw Minister Busigye under the bus as soon the leaked conversation between Busingye and Fane-Saunders was aired on Al Jazeera. Busingye was forced to issue an embarrassing public statement that says his conversation with Fane-Saunders was private and does not reflect the government’s views:
“The Ministry of Justice wishes to clarify some of the issues raised in an interview with the Minister of Justice broadcast by Al Jazeera English on 26 February 2021, and which was based in part on a private recording that does not reflect government policy.”
Busingye is under the bus – stay tuned.
