BNR orders changes on Banque Populaire

Merely weeks after the arrest of Deputy CEO & Chief Network Officer of Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR), Dieudonné Murekezi, for alleged mismanagement of funds, the Central Bank (BNR) has now directed the bank to carry out certain changes. Murekezi is said to have misled the bank and covered up for Nadine Mutabaruka, another bank official, who used to illegally advance loans to her family members. It is understood that the Governor of the Central Bank, Francois Kanimba, issued the memo to the bank’s leadership recommending some quick changes in the bank’s administration. It was not yet clear by press time whether the Central Bank asked Banque Populaire to dissolve it board. When contacted, Ben Kalkan, the BPR Chief Executive Officer, sounded guarded when asked to comment on the matter last evening. “Yes, we have been asked to do some changes. I am not comfortable discussing the details with you. Contact the regulator (BNR) for the details,” Kalkan said on phone yesterday. Central Bank’s Kanimba could not give the details either because he was reportedly attending a meeting with officials from the Rwanda Revenue Authority. William Katete, BNR’s Public Relations Officer, said he was aware of the memo sent to Banque Populaire last week but he had not looked at it to check the details. “I understand they were told to carry out some administrative changes. I haven’t seen the memo but I know there is some directive,” Katete said. According to the spokesman of the Prosecution, Augustin Nkusi, some of the charges against Murekezi are related to helping Mutabaruka escape with about Frw 220million. After the scam, Mutabaruka reportedly escaped to Burundi. “Murekezi will be produced before court soon,” Nkusi said. Ends

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BNR orders changes on Banque Populaire