The prosecution will on November 7, arraign Valens Uwitonze, a technical assistance specialist in the Wood and Furniture Small and Medium-sized Enterprises sector at the Rwanda Standard Board (RSB) in Kicukiro Primary Court. Uwitonze was apprehended on October 20 while accepting a bribe of Rwf 25 million in exchange for issuing a quality certificate. ALSO READ: Prosecution takes over case of Rwanda Standard Board official According to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), during the investigation, they also arrested John Manzi, his co-accused. Manzi faces charges of complicity in a corruption crime and using forged documents. The duo’s case file was sent to the prosecution on October 23. ALSO READ: Rwanda Standard Board official arrested over Rwf25m bribe Meanwhile, according to Article 15 of the anti-corruption law, any public servant or individual holding a public office who abuses their position or the powers associated with it with the intent to gain an unlawful advantage for themselves or another party by either performing or failing to act in violation of the law, is considered to have committed an offense. Upon conviction, the suspect is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years but not more than 10 years, and a fine of not less than Rwf 5 million but not more than Rwf 10 million. In addition, where the offence is committed to getting a profit valuable in money, the penalty becomes imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and not more than 10 years and a fine of three to five times the value of the illegal benefit solicited.
