A probe by the Office of the Prosecutor General to establish whether Ibuka officials released over Rwf 88m to ‘ghost’ organizations has been concluded. The probe into the mismanagement of survivors’ funds has been in force for months, and the findings will be released this week. It was launched following reports that the physical locations of 19 survivors’ associations which received the money were not traceable. The non-existent associations at the centre of the controversy include Izerekubaho (Kayonza), Dufatanye (Ngoma), Tuzamurane (Kayonza), Duharanirekubaho (Rwamagana), Twitezimbere (Nyamata-Bugesera), Humura (Bugesera), Ibikorwa (Bugesera) and Urukundo in Kayonza. All the above associations are located in the Eastern Province. According to sources, they are suspected to have connived with Ibuka officials and received money reportedly to engage in livestock farming. In Kigali alone, specifically in Kicukiro District, the probe team unearthed at least seven ghost associations and cooperatives that are said to have received funds. Ibuka is the umbrella body of genocide survivors’ organisations, and has been embroiled in mismanagement rows which resulted into the suspension of some senior managers in the past. Officials from Ibuka had previously claimed to have released over Rwf 88 million to help several survivors’ associations. But investigators from the prosecution could not locate the recipients and instituted investigations to ascertain where the money went. Ibuka officials have been accused of circumventing standing rules in a bid to divert the funds for their own enrichment. When contacted, prosecution spokesperson, Augustin Nkusi confirmed the development and said those found to be guilty will be brought to book. He said investigators had cross-checked every document to get to the root cause of this problem. According to prosecution, the Rwf 88 million was part of over Rwf 400 million unaccounted for by Ibuka officials. IBUKA was created in 1995 in order to address issues of justice, memory, social and economic problems faced by survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Ends
