Rwanda's Diane Shima Rwigara arrested, faces charges [The Morning Call]

Rwandan police has arrested Diane Shima Rwigara, a leading critic of President Paul Kagame, charging her with forgery and tax evasion.

Her mother and sister were also arrested on the tax charges.

Rwanda’s police spokesman Theos Badege said Rwigara and her arrested family members are accused of tax evasion and using fake documents while she was gathering signatures for (her) presidential candidacy”.

Electoral authorities in Rwanda had earlier this year barred Rwigara from standing in August’s presidential vote, which Kagame won.

They claimed she had not submitted enough supporters’ signatures and some of the names she did send belonged to dead people. Rwigara denied the allegations.

Rwigara, a 35-year-old accountant, has repeatedly accused Kagame of stifling dissent and criticised his Rwandan Patriotic Front’s near total hold on power.

Kagame won last month’s election with 98.8 percent of the vote..