The Vice Mayor in charge of economic affairs in Kirehe District, Jean de Dieu Tihabyona, has been relieved of his duties in the wake of corruption allegations in which he is implicated, the District Advisory Council said Wednesday.

Tihabyona was arrested while on annual leave in Kigali, last month, and charged with corruption at Nyamirambo Intermediate Court.

He, however, denied all charges, saying it was unfounded allegations hatched by his rivals.

He was remanded for 30 days at Kigali Central Prison, popularly known as 1930.

Reading the resolutions of the extraordinary meeting, the chairman of the Council, Ernest Rwagasana, said the district could not wait for the outcome of the case.

"Irrespective of the court’s decision, we have fired the official as the allegations against him tarnish the district’s image. So, we don’t care whether he wins the case or not…the fact that he is implicated makes him unsuitable to serve as an official of the district,” Rwagasana said.

"He was dismissed from the Council, so he can’t remain in his position. We shall arrange elections for his replacement. Corruption is a crime we can’t tolerate.”

After losing membership to the council, Tihabyona also lost membership to the district executive committee, and consequently his job as the Vice Mayor in charge of economic affairs.

To be a member of the executive committee, one has to be first elected as an advisor of the district.

According to Police, Tihabyona was caught red-handed taking a bribe of Rwf400.000 from a businessperson bidding for a district tender.

The money he received was said to be a first installment of an amount yet to be ascertained.

The businessperson was bidding to construct a transit centre in Nyamugare sector of Kirehe District.

Transit centres are areas where street children and drug addicts etc, go for rehabilitation before they are re-integrated in communities.

At least three sector executive secretaries were cited in similar allegations previously.

Gerald Muzungu, the Mayor of the district, reiterated the need to punish the corrupt officials.

"It’s true some executive secretaries were sacked and arrested while others escaped. Public offices must be respected…no one should thus go scot-free,” he said.

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