The Intermediate Court of Gasabo, located in Rusororo, has ruled on the appeal submitted by Habiyambere Zacharie, commonly known as Bishop Gafaranga, rejecting his request for release.
Bishop Gafaranga will remain in custody while awaiting trial on charges of assault, battery, and domestic abuse against his wife, Annet Murava.
The court ruled that his grounds for appeal were baseless and that there was no indication his rights had been violated in the earlier ruling by the Nyamata Primary Court, which ordered his provisional detention on May 23, 2025.
During the hearing held on July 7, 2025, Bishop Gafaranga neither apologized nor showed any remorse. He instead denied the charges and claimed to be targeted by the prosecution.
He was arrested by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) on May 7, 2025, following a complaint filed by his wife.
