Ex-police finance chief gets 10 years for embezzlement

KIGALI - An ex-police officer accused of embezzling over Rwf 300m from the coffers of the Rwanda National Police (RNP), force has been handed a 10-year jail in sentence after he was found guilty of corruption and mismanagement of public funds. According to Prosecution, former Chief Inspector of Police, Edward Higiro alias Kaguta was sentenced on Friday by the Gasabo Intermediate Court after he was found guilty of embezzling huge sums of money from the force, back in 2005. Assisted by a racket of other senior and junior officers, Higiro who was the Director of the Finance Department of the National Police had managed to embezzle over Rwf 300m. In 2005, investigations unearthed a long history of mismanagement and embezzlement of funds and consequently six senior officers including; Higiro, Camarade Rukabu, Robert Kamugisha, Francis Muhizi, Charles Kasaija and Simon Nyamaswa were implicated. Higiro who is also accused of creating ghost police officers in the force was briefly arrested in 2006 but escaped from detention and went to Europe where he spent two years before returning voluntarily to face fraud and embezzlement charges. “He could have received a bigger sentence but the judge was lenient enough considering the fact that he voluntarily returned and pleaded guilty of all charges” a source from the State Prosecution who preferred anonymity told The New Times. It is also said that several of Higiro’s properties have since been attached and sold off by the state prosecution to recover the embezzled funds. All Higiro’s accomplices were acquitted but were blacklisted by the Ministry of Labour and Public Service but Higiro who still has 30 days to appeal is considered a ‘Prime Suspect’ and hence was not be acquitted. Ends