KARONGI- Two former leaders of Rutsiro District, who are jointly accused of swindling public funds, were Friday sentenced to a one-year jail term each.

They are the former Mayor, Jean Ndimubahire, and Jean Pierre Nsabimana, former Executive Secretary of The National Youth Council in the district.

Ndimubahire was found guilty of unlawfully using Rwf 125,000 on his personal vehicle but was given a lighter sentence because he accepted to refund it.

It is alleged that in June 2007, Nsabimana and Ndimubahire swindled over Rwf 3.5 million meant to conduct a two-day youth seminar but Karongi Intermediate Court acquitted them on that count.

The presiding judge, Adolph Udahemuka, ordered Ndimubahire to serve only six months in jail and the rest of the sentence on community service.

"Prosecution failed to provide enough evidence to pin the two suspects on the other charges,” Udahemuka said before a fully packed courtroom.

Ndimubahire was cleared of previous charges of forging documents and using them to justify false expenditures.

Meanwhile Ndimubahire and his former deputy in charge of social affairs Odette Mukantabana face another trial for allegedly fabricating rape charges against a police Intelligence Officer (IO) identified as Gaspard Rwegeranya.

During previous hearings, the two repeatedly denied the accusation but court last week remanded them for 30 days.

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