Africa-Press – Rwanda. Mukamira Primary Court on Tuesday, October 28, initiated the pre-trial hearing for 16 Nyabihu District officials accused of allegedly misusing public funds meant for the rehabilitation of houses belonging to survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
The suspects face charges including misuse of public resources, forgery, and awarding unjustified advantages during procurement processes.
The alleged crimes relate to the rehabilitation of 17 Genocide survivors’ houses across seven sectors: Bigogwe, Rambura, Kintobo, Mukamira, Jenda, Mulinga, and Rugera of Nyabihu district.
Mukamira Primary Court started the pre-trial hearing for 16 Nyabihu District officials on Tuesday, October 28. Photo by Germain Nsanzimana
All suspects, including District Executive Secretary David Mugiraneza along with procurement officers, representatives of Ibuka, have been in custody since October 6.
According to the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA), the contractor, Fulgence Ntaganzwa, was paid over Rwf 45 million, drawn from the Rwf 100 million budget provided by the Ministry of National Unity & Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) for the 2024–2025 fiscal year, but failed to supply the construction materials.
“He did not deliver the construction materials; however, delivery notes were signed by the heads of Ibuka and district authorities,” explained Charles Kanyove who represented the prosecution during the hearing.
Prosecutors also claimed that the suspects should be charged with forging documents to indicate the completion of rehabilitation works, even though “houses were incomplete.”
“Investigation exposed that some houses were not renovated at all,” added Kanyove, revealing that Denis Nsengiyumva, the District’ Engineer, allegedly collaborated closely with the supplier in providing forged documents to the sector heads of Ibuka, who were responsible for overseeing the rehabilitation works, to sign the documents.
“He signed all the delivery notes that all materials were fully delivered,” added public prosecutors. “The construction materials valued at Rwf 45 million were not delivered at building sites, as indicated by the Auditor General’s report.”
NPPA requested that all the suspects remain in detention, underscoring that “they committed serious crimes that are punishable by above two years imprisonment” and their detention would “help the ongoing investigation continue.”
In his defence, the district’s Executive Secretary Mugiraneza denied misuse of public funds and forging documents, claiming that the documents of which prosecution accuses him to have forged were signed for the handover of ten houses, which were truly renovated. He noted that the remaining seven houses which are not yet renovated were not referred to in the document.
Meanwhile, the lawyer for Beatrice Nyiramugwera, the Head of Ibuka in Mulinga Sector, claimed that his client signed the delivery notes unaware of their content.
“She does not know how to read or write,” Lawyer Audace Ngiruwonsanga said, adding: “The delivery document was written in English.”
The pre-trial hearing ended by the presiding judge announcing that the court will deliver its ruling on October 30 at 3:00 PM.
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