The Prosecution has announced plans to file an appeal few days following the sentence handed to Niyonsenga.

The young man was convicted of four crimes including forgery, impersonation, and criminal obstruction of security officials and humiliating state officials.

“Prosecution has lodged a 2nd appeal in the case against Niyonsenga Dieudonné alias Cyuma Hassan. The grounds for appeal is to correct an error convicting Cyuma for the crime of humiliating public service officials, a crime that was repealed in 2019,” reads the statement released by NPPA on Tuesday 16th November 2021.

The Prosecution has requested that the other three charges, related to assault and criminal obstruction of security officials, practicing journalism without the required permit, forgery and presenting forged press cards as well as the sentence remain unchanged.

The crimes were committed on 15th April 2020 when he declined to obey security officials that requested him to comply with COVID-19 preventive measures.

At the time, he was arrested and later acquitted by Gasabo Intermediary Court. The Prosecution appealed against the verdict whereafter, he was handed seven-year sentence by the High Court which also ordered his arrest. He was detained on 11th November 2021 one day after court delivered the verdict.

The Prosecution has filed an appeal against the verdict in which Cyuma was convicted of crimes including humiliation of state officials.