The primary court of Nyarugenge, on Thursday, September 28, started the bail hearing of the case involving Jean-Bosco Harelimana, the former Director General of Rwanda Cooperatives Agency (RCA), and his co-accused. Harelimana is facing different charges including violation of public tender procedures and misuse of public resources, influence peddling, and favoritism, and causing government losses. He is charged alongside Claver Hakizimana, the procurement officer at RCA, charged with violating tender procedures, misusing public resources, and awarding unjustified advantages. Additionally, Liliane Gahongayire, a former logistics officer at the agency, is also suspected of awarding unjustified advantages. ALSO READ: Former cooperatives agency boss arrested According to the prosecution, the trio allegedly awarded a tender to a company that submitted a higher bid, despite the existence of other companies offering lower bids. Furthermore, they are accused of approving additional items and changes in prices within the tender without adhering to the established tender committee procedures. The prosecution pointed out that those changes increased the initial tender amount from Rwf 4 million to Rwf 11 million. On Harelimana, it was highlighted that there are allegations of favoritism against him. The allegations are supported by the testimony of a former colleague, as well as a leaked audio. In the audio, he was heard admitting to having the authority to hire or fire individuals at his preference, among other concerning statements. In the Hakizimana case, the prosecution said that besides approving the tender, both Hakizimana and Gahongayire also agreed to the receipt of items with specifications that differed from the contract. For example, it was stated that they received chairs made from a different type of wood than what was originally specified in the contract. They all pleaded not guilty and requested bail. Harelimana countered the prosecution's claims by highlighting that the preparation and evaluation of tenders fell within the responsibilities of the procurement officer, who also happened to serve as the secretary of the tender committee. He went on to state that, when signing the tenders, he had been given assurances that all procedures were conducted accurately and in a transparent manner. He also mentioned that the process of hiring and firing staff at RCA followed all established procedures. He clarified that the leaked audio only captured a small portion of the conversation, during which he was attempting to gain the trust of an individual who had been implicated in a corruption case. He emphasized that the institution sought additional evidence related to this case. Furthermore, he stated that the security department and his superiors were fully aware of these actions. Therefore, he requested to be granted bail, citing his role as a university lecturer with students relying on his instruction to continue their studies. He also emphasized his official address and offered a surety worth Rwf 80 million. In his defense, Hakizimana emphasized that the company that was given the tender had received approval from the tender committee and had been officially announced. Furthermore, all related information had been posted in the system. He emphasized that any adjustments made outside the system were beyond his control, falling within the responsibilities of his superiors, specifically the Director General and the Legal Advisor Officer. Hakizimana requested bail, arguing that he had familial responsibilities and could provide surety for his release. Gahongayire also denied charges, arguing that the allegations against her were groundless. She argued that what she was accused of did not fall within her responsibilities, emphasizing that she was not a member of the committee responsible for verifying the item specifications. The court will deliver the ruling on October 3. On September 14, Harelimana was arrested shortly after RCA appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Meanwhile, his co-accused were apprehended on September 15.
