Rwandan army officers charged with inciting rebellion

Kigali (AFP) - A top Rwandan colonel and a retired general were charged Friday in a Kigali court for inciting rebellion by "spreading rumours".

The pair are the latest in a series of military men accused of challenging the rule of the country's strongman and president, Paul Kagame.

Former presidential guard chief and serving colonel Tom Byabagamba was arrested last week "over suspected involvement in crimes against state security".

Security forces also arrested former brigadier-general Frank Rusagara, who had previously served as a senior official in the defence ministry and as defence attache to London.

Judge Chance Ndagano said the two men were charged with "spreading rumours... to cause the public to rebel against the government".

Rusagara was also charged with possession of a gun, while Byabagamba, who appeared in court in uniform, was also charged with obstructing police and hiding evidence.

Rusagara's driver, former army sergeant Francois Kabayiza, was also in court. He was charged with hiding evidence.

All remain in custody while the court considers bail, with the next hearing due on September 5.

No further details of the accusations have been released, although according to a Rwandan political expert, the arrests do not appear to be linked to the activities of banned, exiled opposition groups.

Also on Friday, a separate court in Kigali adjourned the case of ex-army officer Joel Mutabazi, who fled the country in 2011 but was extradited by Ugandan authorities last year.

Police have accused him and 15 other co-accused of being linked to a string of grenade attacks carried out in Rwanda, as part of the dissident Rwanda National Congress (RNC), in collaboration with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

A verdict had been expected Friday, but judges adjourned the case to consider potential fresh evidence.

Meanwhile in South Africa, a court convicted four men of attempting to murder a Rwandan former general who had fled after falling out with Kagame.

Magistrate Stanley Mkhari found three Tanzanians and one Rwandan "guilty of attempted murder" after acquitting two other Rwandans -- the alleged mastermind and General Kayumba Nyamwasa's former driver.

Mkhari also concluded that the bid to assassinate Nyamwasa was politically motivated.