The Media High Council executive secretary Patrice Mulama has said that investigations to the brutal attack on Jean Gaulbert Burasa a journalist and an editor of Rushyashya newspaper is underway.
“Right now we can’t conclude anything because we’ve not talked to the accused ‘Paul Ruhamyambuga’ and we’re yet to go to the scene to gather more information,” he remarked.
Mulama further explained that, attack to journalists is condemnable especially while their on duty. “Normally we conduct our own investigations and once we find that the journalist was assaulted we not only condemn the act but also assist relevant institutions like the police and courts to bring justice.”
In Rwanda cases of attacks aganist journalist are minimal though many go unreported. “We’re aware that some journalists have been denied entrance and sometimes their tools such as cameras and recorders have been confiscated,” he remarked adding that, “we’re sensitizing the public how to cooperate with the press since it facilitates their delivery as watchdogs and mouth piece to the public,” he encouraged.
Currently MHC is encouraging judicial personnel to put tough sentences to those found guilty of assaulting journalists.
According to Burasa he was attacked by Paul Ruhamyambuga well known for his City Plaza building at bar nearby Cardilac night club. He claims that he was accused of writing articles exposing the collaboration of Kayumba Nyamwasa a renegade with Tribert Rujugiro a Rwandan tycoon who also happens to be Ruhamyambuga best friend.
In a telephone interview conducted by our reporter Shaba Erick Bil, Burasa disclosed that the businessman called him for a meeting at bar nearby Cadillac and since he was attending a Bralirwa’s function at the night club’s gardens he decided to meet the businessman who had on several occasions invited him for a somewhat private talk.
As usual Burasa had ignored his meetings since his instincts warned him of something dangerous, but he decided any way to meet Ruhamyambuga with accompaniment of his fellow journalists who also doubted the nature of the invitation.
Upon their arrival at the bar, two of the journalists accompanying Burasa were heavily rebuked by the City Plaza boss who was seated with several men. “What are you doing here you good for nothing journalists, I only called Burasa not you, or you think your reckless newspapers are so professional, get the hell out of here,” he remarked.
The admonished journalists had no choice but to leave their dear Burasa in the arms of men whom they didn’t trust their intentions. After his colleagues went the Rushyashya editor claims that he was not given a chance to order a drink before one of the Ruhamyambuga’s men started criticizing his writings especially on Kayumba and his political clique.
With no time the group started throwing harsh words to sole Burasa who stood by his grounds in defending his professionalism, this seemed to have annoyed one of the men who couldn’t take it and jumped towards Burasa and strangled his neck almost taking his breath away.
Burasa who’s skinny and has a height of about 1.85 couldn’t struggle more with the man who was slightly bigger than him. “I was taken to a nearby building which was unfinished and no one was there to hear me cry for help, he only let me go after I nearly lost all my strength,” he remarked.
So far Burasa has filed a complaint to the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the MHC. Police spokesman Theos Badege affirmed that investigations were still on progress.
Up to now Ruhamyambuga has refused to comment on the matter.
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