APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – One of Rwanda’s anti-corruption prosecutor on Thursday requested 30-days preventive detention for Prof. Jean Bosco Harelimana, former Director General of Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA), who stands accused of corruption-related charges and misappropriation of public funds.
According to the indictment presented by the prosecution, the defendant is facing several charges including mismanagement of public resources, illegal awarding of government tenders, influence peddling, nepotism and using intimidation in his position.
Downplaying the charges, the defendant pleaded not guilty all to charges stressing that the request by the allegations levered against him are fabrications.
Prof. Harelimana along with two other former staff of Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) faces several charges including corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
The top Rwandan official who was sacked in January this year was summoned last week by Rwanda’s parliament Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing but he failed to report.
Earlier this month, telephone conversation recordings intercepted by the Police were leaked to various social media groups believing it was Prof. Harelimana trying to negotiate a bribe from unknown individual in order to win a tender from the same Government institution.
His conviction comes amid a sudden crackdown on a group of senior managers at the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA).
The review of monitoring and evaluation report on implementation status of RCA audit recommendations on 46 cooperatives sampled among audit carried out between 2016 and 2021, revealed embezzlement amounting to Rwf871,522,147 (about $ 871,500 USD) occurred in 34 cooperatives in Rwanda.
RCA audit recommended to recover the amount.
However, only Rwf17,894,180 (about $ 17,800 USD ) equivalent to 2% of total embezzlement was recovered by cooperatives, it said.
CU/abj/APA