The decision was delivered on September 22, 2026, a day after the prosecution and Shema’s defence agreed to a settlement under which he admitted to two charges.

The charges are issuing a dishonoured cheque, provided for under Article 126 of Law No. 060/2021 of October 14, 2021, governing negotiable instruments, and obtaining another person’s property through fraud, provided for under Article 174 of Law No. 68/2018 of August 30, 2018, on offences and penalties in general.

The offences stemmed from Shema issuing two cheques worth a combined $600,000 to settle obligations under a contract between his company, Africa Media Supplier, and ABZL International General Trading LLC, a company based in the United Arab Emirates.

In the plea agreement submitted to the court, the prosecution told the court that Shema had already paid the money and requested that he be sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year, and fined Rwf3 million.

In its ruling on Tuesday, the court approved the agreement and sentenced Shema to six months in prison, suspended for one year, and a Rwf3 million fine.

The court ordered that the terms of the agreement take effect immediately following the reading of the decision, resulting in his release.

The ruling came as Shema’s defence had previously appealed to the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court against a decision concerning his 30-day pre-trial detention.

One of Shema’s lawyers told IGIHE that following his release, they would withdraw the appeal they had filed.