A Rwandan journalist has appealed to President Paul Kagame to intervene in a sexual assault case she says has been mishandled after she reported to authorities.
Ms Glory Iribagiza accuses investigators, prosecutors and support institutions of showing lax attitude -including delayed arrest, poor communication and lack of clarity on the case status, and dropping the case altogether.
In an open letter dated May 13, 2026 that she shared on X and tagged President Kagame, Iribagiza accused officials from the Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Isange One Stop Centre and the Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority of negligence and failure to deliver justice after she reported an alleged sexual assault in late September 2025.
"I implore you to intervene in my case and help me get justice because only you can. I ask not a favour from the justice system, but a right," she wrote in the letter addressed to Kagame.
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Iribagiza, who has been reporting for The New Times daily, said she was assaulted by her ex-boyfriend whom she does not name.
She first reported the case at Isange One Stop Centre, a Rwanda GBV support centre, in Kacyiru, a Kigali suburb, during the night of the alleged assault, where she underwent medical and psychological procedures as instructed by officials.
She said investigators assured her that the suspect would be arrested the following day due to fears he might flee to a neighbouring country where he allegedly has relatives.
However, she alleged that no immediate arrest was made despite those assurances. She further claimed that shortly after filing the complaint, the suspect contacted a friend seeking a meeting to "make amends" before the matter escalated.
According to her account, she informed Ms Shafiga Murebwayire, the coordinator of Isange One Stop Centre, who allegedly advised her to allow the suspect to come while officers waited to arrest him.
She said the officers arrived late and later failed to actively pursue the suspect.
"One of the men called me on the phone and told me to get out of the house for a chat. I entered their tinted car and sat in the back seat. I immediately noticed a pistol next to one of the men," she wrote, adding that officers later attributed delays to traffic congestion and postponed the arrest operation.
Iribagiza further alleged that the suspect remained free for days after taking annual leave from work, despite her continued follow-ups with officials.
Frustrated by what she described as inaction, she later wrote to the President's office seeking intervention. She said the response she received urged her to trust the institutions handling the matter, a reply she described as dismissive and insensitive given her trauma and continued pursuit of justice.
Weeks later, she said she learned through a friend that the suspect had been arrested. She was given a case file number and informed that the matter had been transferred to the Prosecution Office in Nyarugenge under prosecutor Mireille Nibishaka of the Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority, Rwanda prosecution service.
Iribagiza said she initially felt reassured upon learning a female prosecutor had been assigned to the case, but later complained of limited communication and lack of engagement on the evidence she submitted.
"She didn't have any questions for me, since she was my defender," she wrote, adding that responses she received only indicated that investigations were ongoing.
She also alleged that after later hearing the suspect had been released, her attempts to obtain clarification from Isange One Stop Centre and prosecution officials went unanswered.
"It has been about eight months now since my report, and I don't know what happened to my case," she wrote.
In her letter, Iribagiza also raised broader concerns about the handling of sexual assault cases, arguing that delays and lack of follow-up discourage survivors from pursuing justice.
"Sexual abusers in our midst thrive because they are rewarded. They are rewarded by our silence, by those who are in power to do something but decide not to do it," she wrote.
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Following the circulation of her letter, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Rwanda law enforcement agency, issued a statement on X rejecting allegations of negligence.
The bureau said that after receiving her complaint, investigations were conducted, the suspect was arrested and detained, and a case file was forwarded to prosecution.
RIB further stated that the prosecution later transferred the case to court and that the suspect was released "based on the conclusion of the medical legal report."
The matter has since triggered online debate, with some users questioning how sexual assault cases are handled and calling for greater transparency and stronger survivor support systems, while others defended the integrity of Rwanda's justice institutions.
While some Rwandans accused Iribagiza of trying to force what she wants through the president, former Miss Rwanda Jolly Mutesi backed her.
"Sexual abuse is dehumanising and shouldn't be condoned by any society. It is a criminal act that should be punished by law without compromise," Mutesi wrote. "We hear you and stand with you."
