Judge summons RPPA boss

KIGALI - The presiding judge in the forgery case against an executive of a construction company - BCE constructors has summoned the Director General of Rwanda Public Procurement Authority as a witness. Augustin Seminega has been summoned to explain how awarded tenders are verified to prevent any fraud. According to Prosecution, Jean de Karangira connived with his wife Christine Uwamaliya to defraud government of over Rwf700m in a tender that was awarded to BCE Constructors to upgrade two feeder roads connecting Gikongoro (Nyamagabe) to Butare (Huye) in the Southern Province. “This thing of who forged papers is not clear because I believe there must be a way of verifying the authenticity of any documentation in the tender board,” said the judge. The prosecution have alleged that the accused used forged documents to win a tender for the construction of the two feeder roads in 2007. “If you cross examine the file my lord, you will see that BCE Constructors used forged papers to win that tender. Karangira used his wife and his child to sign the documents which were submitted to the tender board,” the prosecution told the court. The need for the two feeder roads construction emerged following the residents’ plea during the 2003 presidential elections campaign. The trial has been rescheduled to October 19 where Seminega will appear before court. Ends

National

Judge summons RPPA boss