Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has confirmed the arrest of two officials of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) over allegations related to abuse of office.
According to RIB spokesperson, Thierry Murangira, the individuals who are detained are Jean-Jacques Mugisha, Head of Rwanda's mission to the Commonwealth Games, and Jean de Dieu Mukundiyukuri, the Executive Director at RNOSC.
Murangira disclosed that the duo were arrested on November 1 and are currently detained at Kicukiro RIB station.
According to RIB, the duo are suspected of two counts of forgery and making a decision based on favoritism, friendship, or nepotism.
In addition, he disclosed that RIB received complaints against the duo on October 10 and immediately opened investigations.
"These offences are suspected to have been committed during the preparation of Rwanda’s participation in the commonwealth games that took place from July 28 to August 8 this year,” Murangira said.
Previously, they have been under investigation while not detained.
The New Times has learned that the executive committee initially slapped the duo with a one-month suspension from September 29 to October 29, after realising that the duo applied for visas for seven non-delegates to travel to Birmingham through the Olympic committee without notifying any of the executive committee members.
However, when they finished their suspension, the executive committee had already considered expelling them indefinitely from their positions given the gravity of their mistakes but RNOSC president, Theo Uwayo, intervened and requested to revoke the decision.
A reliable source from the RNOSC top management told The New Times that the executive committee decided to suspend them because "They were involved in obtaining documents for seven people who were not part of the delegation to Birmingham and it was done on behalf of the Olympic Committee.
According to the source, Mukundiyukuri listed his wife among the RNOSC delegates to Birmingham and gave her the title of Administrative Personnel alongside his two children.
He also put his friend Abouba Nsengiyumva on the RNOSC list to Birmingham. He eventually disappeared upon arrival.
On the other hand, Mugisha, who was head of the delegation also put his wife and child on the list but they were later removed despite securing visa documents among others.