The Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge has sentenced Fatakumavuta to two and a half years in prison and a fine of 1.3 million Rwandan Francs, after convicting him of several charges including spreading false information (rumors), drug use, and defamation.
This verdict was delivered on June 13, 2025, after the judgment reading had been postponed due to the Eid al-Adha holiday. The prosecution had filed four charges against Fatakumavuta, but the court ruled that he was guilty of three.
The court found him not guilty of public insult, ruling that the comments he made about the artist The Ben did not constitute offensive language within the Rwandan cultural context.
However, regarding drug use, the court found sufficient evidence against him. He was also found guilty of spreading false rumors and defamation.
Although the initial sentence was expected to be five years in prison and a fine of 1.3 million Frw, the penalty was reduced after some of the victims, including The Ben, told the court they had forgiven him.
Fatakumavuta and his legal team were given 30 days to appeal the ruling if they are dissatisfied with the judgment.
