The Gasabo Intermediate Court yesterday handed down a six-year jail term to Jean de Dieu Karangira, a local businessman over corruption charges.

Presided over by Morris Mbishibishi, the court acquitted Karangira’s cousin Eugenie Mushimiyimana, who had earlier been accused of trying to bribe a judge to influence a ruling in Karangira’s case.

"This is injustice, there is no way someone can accept the crime and apologise for it and the judge treats you like this,” Karangira said outside the court room yesterday.

Mushimiyimana was arrested in June as she tried to bribe a judge handling a separate case involving Karangira, but she maintained that she acted on her cousin’s instructions who later pleaded guilty.

Meanwhile, Karangira who owns a construction company will continue to answer the initial charges of flouting tendering procedures in the Ministry of Infrastructure for which he had earlier been arrested.

In a related development, the trial of two former senior employees in the Office of the Prime Minister concluded yesterday and the date of the verdict was set for August 31.

Vincent Rubayiza, a former Director of Cabinet in the Premier’s office, was arrested with his colleague Laurent Mugengana last year over embezzlement of public funds.

Both were arrested after being accused of selling fuel belonging to the Premier’s office to private persons.

During his final submissions, the prosecutor requested the court to sentence the duo to 13 years.

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