KIGALI - It is alleged that the former Director General of the Rwanda Institute for Administration and Management (RIAM), Marc Kabandana, defrauded government of Rwf 286m in shoddy claims. Addressing a press conference yesterday, the spokesman of the Prosecution, Augustin Nkusi, revealed that between 2008 and 2009 Kabandana drew Rwf 14m in unjustified allowances and paid out Rwf 272m to a ghost Construction Company that allegedly carried out renovation works on the institute’s premises. Earlier media reports had indicated that the embattled former Director General who is not remanded at Kigali Central Prison had swindled Rwf 203m. In a related development, police have arrested five officials of Gasabo district on suspicion of flouting public procurement regulations. Those in detention include; the district’s Executive Secretary, Felix Kabandana and members of the Procurement Committee; Musirikare Amandin, Rwigyema Ferdinand, Habimana Germain and Umubyeyi Georgette. The suspects are being held at Remera Police Station.Nkusi added that prosecutors are also interrogating the district Mayor, Claudine Nyinawagaga. He revealed that the suspects awarded a tender worth Rwf 222m without competitive bidding. The company was contracted by the district to supply firewood and cooking oil to Remera Government Prison. At the conference, Nkusi also presented to the media photographic evidence and an evaluation report of five posh houses belonging to Janvier Murenzi, a former employee of the President’s Office who is in court charged with corruption. He revealed that Murenzi also owns a fleet of buses plying Kigali – Kampala route. One of them has since been impounded by the National Prosecution Authority. Nkusi said that prosecutors have petitioned court to grant them powers to auction assets of corrupt officials. Ends
