GASABO - The Kacyiru Lower Court of Instance yesterday evening ruled that Charles Gasana and Alexis Mugarura be remanded in custody for thirty days of provisional detention while investigations into their alleged embezzlement case continue.

Gasana, the former Eastern Province Executive Secretary, is accused of having illegally authorised and signed papers that allowed Mugarura access to extra funds for the construction of provincial headquarters.

The extra funds estimated at over Rwf 659million were above the Rwf 1.7billion that the businessman had been contracted for the construction of the headquarters that will be located in Rwamagana town.

Presided over by Claudine Nyirabikenke, the court averred that Gasana was wrong to sign the papers, which makes him suspicious of having gone against the law attracting corruption and other related charges.

But Gasana, during the hearings the day before, had made it clear that he hadn’t signed for the release of the additional sum claimed by Mugarura, explaining that that all financial related issues had been shifted to the Ministry of Infrastructure after the Eastern Province ran out of cash to carry on with the works.

According to the ruling, Gasana’s other explanations that he didn’t have enough staff to help him were rendered baseless by court on the basis that as a government official, he was supposed to follow-up on a daily basis on all activities.

After the ruling which was made in the absence of the defendants, one of Mugarura’s lawyers said his client would appeal, as he was not satisfied with the court’s decision.

Meanwhile Gasana’s only defence lawyer who was present was not allowed to append a signature on the verdict because he had turned up not wearing lawyers’ professional garb.

"We are not satisfied with the ruling, not at all,” Gasana’s defence lawyer was heard saying outside the courtroom.

"We will have to appeal and see what comes out of this.”

The counting of the 30 days of provisional detention starts on the day the decision was pronounced.

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