SSFR ghost pensioner nabbed

KIGALI - A man who connived with an employee of the Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) to pose as a beneficiary with intentions of benefiting from the retirement benefits, has been nabbed, The New Times has learnt. Gedeon Niyibaho, 26, is being held at Muhima Police Post for conspiring with Jean Paul Mutabazi who is wanted by police. Mutabazi was the Pensions officer at the fund’s Gatsibo branch. However the two only managed to claim Rwf1.8 in the trial scheme before they were discovered before they could file more claims. On realising that his plan had been unearthed, Mutabazi abandoned his job and fled. “Niyibaho is actually a young man born in 1983, a resident of Muhima, Nyarugenge according to the National ID he possesses. He knew what he was doing and participated in the whole plan of forging files and stamps,” said Dan Kayonga, the Principle Media and Public Relations Officer at CSR. According to investigations, the duo was working around the clock to process forged physical files that they would use to claim the 8.9m in the next quarter of pension payments (June-Sept) but they run out of luck, shortly before they could accomplish their mission. Earlier information obtained by The New Times indicates that the suspects were targeting a huge sum of money amounting to Rwf18m that would be paid out in the form of pension and retirement benefits, however CSR denied the allegations. “What we know is that the files we managed to discover would amount to 8.9m had they been successful, but who knows? Maybe they had more plans had they succeeded in this one,” Kayonga said in an interview. Mutabazi also forged different stamps he used to certify documents and certificates. In one incident, he forged a stamp of Rubona sector in Rwamagana district and signed as a certain Jean Claude Kwizera, as the Executive Secretary of the sector. It was however discovered that Kwizera is non existent and the real names of the Executive Secretary are Jean Claude Ruzindana. He also forged copies of judgement and the stamp of Kiramuruzi First Instance Court but further investigations revealed that the court in Kiramuruzi had never received the case of Gedeon Niyibaho. In an earlier interview, Rehema Karegeya, the head of quality assurance and internal audit said that the fraud plan was discovered by benefits investigators at the pension body. Sources allege that Mutabazi operates with three highly sophisticated computer fraudsters who have successfully managed to defraud several institutions out of millions of money but neither the police nor the SSFR could confirm the allegations. The fund’s managing director Henry Gaperi is on record admitting that the fund is an easy target for fraudsters because of the huge sums of payments it makes, but many have been discovered and consequently detained. “There shouldn’t be any cause for alarm. We are very keen on securing the fund from such scrupulous individuals” he had said then.When contacted, Police spokesman John Uwamungu said that Mutabazi is still on the run. He said that information they have indicate that the suspect is said to be in areas around Muhanga district in the Southern Province. Ends