Military High Court sentenced Col Tom Byabagamba to 21 years in jail and stripped him of his military rank while Brig Gen (rtd) Frank Rusagara was handed a 20-year jail sentence after they were both found guilty of all the charges against them.

The third suspect, Francois Kabayiza, was sentenced to five years in prison and charged Rwf 500,000 fines after he was absolved of the charge on illegal possession of firearms but convicted for a single charge of concealing objects which were used or meant to commit an offense.

They were all not satisfied with the ruling and vowed to appeal against the ruling.

Byabagamba, who once headed the Republican Guards was accused of tarnishing the image of the state as a leader, public insurrection, illegal possession of firearms, contempt of coats of guards, denigrating the national flag while on duty in the South Sudanese capital Juba, and concealing evidence in a criminal case.

Rusagara was accused of public insurrection that amounted to tarnishing the image of the country and illegal possession of firearms, a crime for which he was jointly convicted with Byabagamba.