Nyagatare Hospital is grappling to recover Rwf351 million from a court case it won against three former officials who were convicted for embezzlement of Rwf71 million from the hospital.

During a public hearing with the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on September 28, 2020, members of this Committee wanted to know why four years have elapsed but such money has not yet been recovered – because the crime was carried out around 2016 – and what the Hospital was doing in this regard.

The Hospital’s Director-General, Dr. Ernest Munyemana said that the culprits are the former Director of the Hospital, Dr. Ruhirwa Rudoviko; the Hospital’s Administrator, Laurent Niyonzima; and a worker, identified as Senghor, who was in charge of project monitoring and evaluation.

He explained that they had embezzled Rwf71 million, but because of fines and court fees, the money to be paid increased to more Rwf351 million.

Munyemana said that the trio disappeared the moment they learnt that a criminal proceeding had been initiated against them, saying that until now, their whereabouts remain unknown.

The trial was later held in absentia, and they were found guilty of the charges pressed against them.

On February 15, 2017, the hospital management engaged a court bailiff requesting him to help in executing, the court judgment, Munyemana told PAC.

After analysing the court proceedings and decision, he said, the bailiff replied to the hospital – in writing – that all the three convicts had no [known] property on the Rwandan territory.

Later, he said, the hospital wrote to the Ministry of Justice requesting that it advises them on the way forward in order to recover such funds if the culprits have no identified assets in Rwanda.

MP Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye said that it is sad the money was embezzled from the hospital, suggesting that there was a lack of vigilance to foil the plot.

"How come people embezzle millions of francs from the hospital, and they reach to the point of escaping, and people are not aware of what is going on,” she asked, wondering whether there were no other accomplices in the plot.

Munyemana said they have not given up, adding that they working with the Ministry of Justice, and have written to Rwanda Investigation Bureau seeking their help in tracking the culprits to ensure they pay.