EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA — The Christmas mood for two Gacaca officials was spoiled after police nabbed them allegedly over corruption charges.

The two men detained at Rwamagana police station, were identified as Hussein Mugabo, the President of Rwikubo Sector Gacaca court and     Aloys Gatete, attached to the same court. They are both residents of Rwamagana town.

They were reportedly caught red-handed receiving a bribe of Frw80, 000 from a resident of Rwamagana on December 24.

Patrick M Kabari, the area Gacaca coordinator confirmed the arrests of the duo saying they [suspects] had hidden the court dossier belonging to a Genocide suspect, Hussein Shumbusho, for the last two month. 

"The dossier for which they were being bribed had gone missing for the last two months.

They stole the dossier two months ago. I have no doubt that they are responsible since they have been caught red-handed with it and moreover receiving a bribe from the suspect,” Kabari said by phone.

Speaking to The New Times, at the police station, Gatete admitted to have received the money but denied that it was a bribe.

"Hussein Shumbusho called me and gave me Frw80, 000 as part of my earlier compensation debt. He owed me money. So it is not a bribe,” Gatete said.

He added: "No sooner had he (Shumbusho) given me the money than police surrounded me confiscating the money and Shumbusho’s file which I was taking to another court for trial on December 27.” 

Mugabo also admitted the transfer of Shumbusho’s file to Gatete but denied knowledge of the money and corruption motive. He said he gave Gatete the file because it had been misplaced and was not supposed to be tried under their court.

"When I was registering cases, I found a misplaced file from Miyange Cell belonging to one Hussein Shumbusho, so I called Gatete and handed him the dossier,” Mugabo said.

However, according to a separate source, though it was Gatete who received the money they were meant to share it with his friend Mugabo.

The source alleged that it was Mugabo who first suggested getting the bribe in order to distort all evidence contained in the file.

The evidence allegedly implicates Shumbusho in the Genocide. According to the source, Shumbusho allegedly drove Interahamwe Militias during the 1994 Genocide. 

Security sources said that they were aware of the aborted deal.

"We knew what was going on, we were tipped off by some one and we knew the venue where the bribe was going to be given to corrupt Gacaca official,” a security official said on condition of anonymity.

Ends