The Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on Thursday, March 18, upheld an earlier ruling by a lower court to remand three officers of Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) for 30 days.

The three are CSP Innocent Kayumba, the director of Nyarugenge Prison, his deputy SP Eric Ntakirutimana, and Ephraim Mutamaniwa, an intelligence officer at the prison that is commonly known as Mageragere.

Kayumba and Ntakirutimana face charges of theft, unauthorized access to a computer or computer system data, and impersonation.

Mutamaniwa is accused of two charges; theft and unauthorized access to a computer or computer system data.

None of the accused attended Thursday’s ruling. They are detained at Nyanza Prison in Southern Province.

In lodging the appeal, they sought court to rescind the decision by Nyarugenge Primary Court, saying they should be released and be tried while out of detention.

Court however ruled that the appeal by the trio was not grounded, adding that, as prosecution said, there is evidence that once released they might interfere with the ongoing investigations.

According to prosecution, in September last year, Kayumba approached one Olivier Amani, an inmate at Nyarugenge Prison who has IT skills, to help him steal money belonging to Kassem Ayman Mohamed, a British national also incarcerated in Nyarugenge Prison.

Mohamed would normally use his visa card to buy medication and food, and leave the card to the person in charge of social affairs at the prison after use.

Prosecution explained that Kayumba ordered the officer to give him the visa card, and took it to Amani to help him withdraw money that was on it.

However, prosecution added, Amani told him that what was possible was to buy commodities online using the money on the card. Subsequently, Kayumba and the co-accused allegedly bought commodities worth Rwf9 million online, using the money of the British inmate, without his knowledge.

The commodities, as explained by prosecution, are said to include alcoholic drinks, mobile phones, and food.

However, all the accused have pleaded not guilty of the alleged crimes, saying that they have no IT skills to steal that money, despite having signed off the goods when they were delivered at the prison premises by a local delivery company.

The accused will therefore remain in detention until their case in substance begins.