Prosecution wants 5 yrs for Bikoro

KICUKIRO - Prosecutors in a case involving former minister Munyanganizi Bikoro have called for a five year prison sentence insisting the accused is guilty of evading taxes. Kagarama court of lower instance yesterday concluded its hearing of the case and set August 11 as date for reading the verdict. Presided over by Judge Janvier Muhire, the court ruled that hearing of the MP’s case be concluded after all witnesses had testified and all evidence presented. Clad in a black suit and flanked by his lawyer Emmanuel Rukangira, Munyanganizi maintained his not guilty plea, saying he had no connection to all charges against him. “I am a person of integrity, I have worked for my country unreservedly, I introduced a policy that increased revenue from mines but I have never embezzled a coin …I could not try to embezzle 15,000 Euros (estimated at over Rwf12 million) in taxes,” Munyanganizi told court. However the prosecution represented by Faustin Munyamahoro told court that Munyanganizi had personal relationship with a Spanish company Espina Obras Hidraulicas which imported on his behalf tiles for his house tax free. Espina was exempted from taxes on all materials they imported since they had been contracted by Electrogaz, to work on a water purification project. One, Jean Bosco Bavakure an engineer with the National Drinking Water Purification Programme (PNEAR) allegedly secured the tax exemption for the Espina for the materials they were to use in purification works, but part of the consignment belonged to Bikoro. According to prosecution, Espina got tender for this project at a time Munyanganizi was the State Minister in charge of Environment, Mining and Natural Resources. “Munyanganizi knew very well that those goods in the Espina’s container were exempted and he dealt with them to sneak in his tiles,” the prosecutor charged. “Munyanganizi has tried to distance himself from this but there is no way he can explain to court how these tiles ended up in his house and Espina’s employees working at his construction site.” Munyanganizi answered that he enlisted the help of Espina after a person he had contracted hired to mix concrete at his site had disappointed him (Munyanganizi) at the last moment. Despite Munyanganizi pleas, prosecution called upon court to pass a guilty verdict against the former, seeking a five-year jail sentence. Munyanganizi is tried along with two others including Luis Duenas Herrera the head of Espina-Rwanda and Bavakure. Munyanganizi earlier this year resigned from parliament barely months into his five-year term to pave way for investigations into his corruption case. Ends