The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has responded to concerns raised by journalist Glory Iribagiza, who wrote an open letter to President Paul Kagame alleging delays and lack of clarity in the handling of her sexual violence case.
Iribagiza, a journalist with The New Times, says the incident occurred in late September 2025 and that she reported the matter to the Isange One Stop Center in Kacyiru. In her letter, she expressed dissatisfaction with how she was initially received and questioned the progress of the case through the justice process.
She stated that she underwent medical examination and received psychosocial support following her complaint, but later became concerned after what she described as limited communication on the progress of investigations.
According to Iribagiza, she requested that the suspect be arrested promptly, arguing that he had potential to flee the country due to having family connections in a neighboring state. She says she was later informed that the suspect had been arrested, which initially reassured her that the case was advancing.
“I was relieved when I learned that the suspect had been arrested, thinking justice would take its course. However, I later realized the case was not progressing as expected,” she wrote.
She further claims that although the case file was eventually forwarded to the prosecution, she did not receive consistent updates and was later informed that the suspect had been released, leaving her uncertain about the status of the proceedings.
Iribagiza said she has waited for about eight months without clear information on the case and appealed for intervention, saying prolonged delays risk discouraging survivors from reporting similar cases in the future.
Following her letter, RIB issued a public response via its official X account, clarifying that the suspect was initially arrested and detained, and that investigations were conducted before the case file was submitted to the National Public Prosecution Authority.
RIB stated that the file was later forwarded to court but indicated that the suspect was released based on a medical report issued by a certified state doctor, which informed subsequent legal decisions.
The institution emphasized that all procedures followed legal requirements and that decisions at different stages of the case were guided by professional assessments within the justice system.
The exchange has drawn public attention to concerns around communication, survivor support, and case follow-up in sensitive sexual violence cases handled through formal justice channels.
