Editor,

Refer to the story, "Rusizi mayor detained as Police probe ‘Mutuelle de Santé scam” (The New Times, January 7). The culprits should face the wrath of law to serve as lesson to whoever was to be involved in mismanagement of public resources.

Acts of this nature are aimed at nothing but serving personal interest to the detriment of national development and people’s aspirations. This kind of selfish behaviour by officers entrusted with public resources cannot be entertained.

Abdul Kanoti

********************

It is more than serving selfish personal interest. It is robbing often very poor rural folk of a very basic service – affordable health care – and ultimately life.

Of course we shouldn’t jump the gun and declare any of them guilty on the basis of mere suspicion — no matter how justified such suspicions appear—until due process is concluded.

But should investigations and trial prove any of them guilty of fraud or deliberate mismanagement (seeming mismanagement can often be a convenient cover for fraud), then they should face the full force of the law. And, hopefully that will provide a lesson for others who might be tempted to follow in their footsteps.

Mwene Kalinda