THE High Court has set September 23, as the date for the ruling of the case against Oscar Kimanuka, the former Director General of ORINFOR.

Kimanuka was first detained in April, last year, over allegations of corruption, flouting tendering procedures and favoritism, but was released on bail.

The Nyarugenge intermediate court later acquitted him of corruption but found him guilty of flouting tendering procedures and favoritism for which he was handed two years of imprisonment and ordered to pay Rwf6 m.

Other people jointly accused with Kimanuka were also acquitted including, the former ORINFOR Marketing Manager, Alexandre Twahirwa and four former employees of the state media organ.

The verdict was subsequently appealed by both parties with Kimanuka contesting the conviction of the two charges while prosecution challenged the acquittal of the embezzlement charge.

Representing prosecution yesterday, Augustin Nkusi told court that the state holds Kimanuka responsible for among other allegations, unlawfully awarding contracts, and authorizing commissions to ORINFOR employees totaling to over Rwf200m since 2007 despite these employees earning their official salaries.

It is against the law to award commissions to employees who are on the government payroll while they are doing things that are within their job descriptions, said Nkusi.

He maintained that the 20 and 10 percent commissions that was awarded to the employees is not provided for anywhere in the ORINFOR regulatory laws and that the Board of Directors had on several occasions questioned its existence.

One of the employees, Damien Hakizimana, told court that he used to bring in adverts as a side job since it was not in his job description as a sports presenter on Rwanda Television.

Kimanuka explained that he had initiated that arrangement of awarding commissions on adverts as one way of increasing ORINFORs financial position, and that the Board was aware.

He added that the decision was crucial since by the time he took over at ORINFOR, media in Rwanda had been liberalised and there was need to have strong measures to ensure that the institution remains financially independent.

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