• Statistics boss faces corruption charges

KICUKIRO - The Director General of the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) has been arrested in connection with abuse of public office, The New Times has learnt.

Dr. Louis Munyakazi was arrested on Tuesday evening by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the orders of Prosecutor General, Martin Ngoga. He is being held at Kicukiro Police Station as investigations of his alleged crime continue.

Ngoga told The New Times that Munyakazi is being pursued for embezzlement, abuse of office, misuse of public funds and corruption.

The acting Commissioner General of Police Mary Gahonzire confirmed the development yesterday.

"What I can tell you at this stage is that police arrested Munyakazi,” Gahonzire said by phone.

"It is about corruption and you know very well our country has no room for corrupt officials,” added Gahonzire. She said Munyakazi’s arrest was aimed at stopping him from interfering with investigations.

The police boss said they will be carried out expeditiously and fairly.

Munyakazi’s arrest also follows three other senior government officials’ who allegedly mismanaged public funds.

Former Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education Justin Nsengiyumva was arrested, detained before he escaped from police custody. He is on the run and Interpol is looking for him.

Nsengiyumva had been arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe from local businessman Moses Byaruhanga who had won a tender worth over Rwf 70 million, to supply computers to the ministry.

Weeks later, another PS, this time in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Vicent Gatwabuyenge, was also picked up for reportedly diverting funds meant for road construction for his own enrichment.

Today, George Katurebe, the Director of Cepex (Central Public Investment and External Finance Bureau) is in prison on an alleged corruption case involving 456 million francs.

The spokesperson of the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA), Augustin Nkusi had earlier said Katurebe and Gatwabuyenge were accused of complicity in exonerating STRABAG, a road-construction company, from paying a fine imposed against them by the government.

The government recently established a new organ that will deal with corruption throughout the country.

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