The former CEO of the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), Alex Kanyankole, on Thursday appeared before court for the second consecutive day for mention of his case. Kanyankole, who was arrested early this month, was arraigned before the Nyamirambo-based Nyarugenge Primary Court where he was charged with favouritism and soliciting for and receiving illegal benefits in order to offer a service. All the alleged crimes are said to have been committed during the accused’s time in office between July 2013 and December 2017. During the hearing yesterday, the accused, through his lawyers Alice Umuriza and Emmanuel Rukangira petitioned court to release him on bail and where necessary court sets conditions for him to fulfill. In motivating their case, the lawyers said that some of the co-accused, who are BRD officials are roaming freely, and will be tried together with Kanyakole once the case starts in substance. “He should be tried out of custody just like other suspects who were never arrested but are set to appear in court during trial in substance,” Umuriza who did not mention the names of these people. However, Prosecution argued that the release of Kanyankole can interfere with investigations that are still ongoing on the crimes levelled against him and asked the judge to send him on remand. “He should not be granted bail because he can interfere with evidence once released on bail,” said prosecution represented by Michel Nshimiyimana and Charles Kanyove. Throughout the trial Kanyankole appeared calm as he listened carefully to the submissions by lawyers on the two sides. Among the charges, prosecution alleges that Kanyankole issued out loans illegally worth $12 million to people who in the end failed to servive their debts because they did not meet the criteria in the first time. Prosecution mentioned companies that benefitted from such as as Top Service that was supplying manure for farmers, Trust Industries and a one Abdou Gahima, the head of Good Harvest Primary School. In his defence, Kanyankole said that in awarding loans to all the named individual, the laws governing the bank were followed to the letter and that all of the loans were awarded by a mandated committee and not in his capacity as CEO. The judge ruled that she would be pronouncing herself on the bail application on Tuesday October 23.
