KARONGI – The Kibuye Hospital administrative officer Innocent Sevumba has been suspended from his post, days after he was arrested and later released on bail over a corruption case.

Apollinaire Byiringiro was, last week, named as his replacement.

Officials said the move was aimed to pave way for thorough investigations into the alleged crimes.

Soon after his tentative release, Sevumba was temporarily retained as the administrative officer until last week when Byiringiro (formerly working at Kirinda Hospital) was named as his successor.

Sources intimated to The New Times yesterday that Sevumba was recalled to the ministry headquarters but it is not yet clear if he will be reassigned new duties if proven innocent by the courts of law with the trial yet to kick off.

Sevumba is jointly accused with former accountant, Dominique Xaxier Nzanana, of embezzling Rwf 18.5 million and breaching procurement laws.

The scam was unearthed following an audit conducted between 2008 and 2010.

Meanwhile, ahead of the trial, prosecution has also named another prosecutor to take on the graft case. Josue Niringango takes over from Venuste Minani.

Unconfirmed reports say that Minani was replaced based on reasons of conflict of interest due to his relationship with Dr Cyrille Dusengamungu, the former hospital director, who is also implicated in the scandal.

"There was increasing fear that the prosecutor would not have made effective follow up since he is a relative of one of the people reportedly involved in the scandal,” an inside source said on condition of anonymity.

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