Ex-Rutsiro Mayor appears in court

KARONGI - Jean Ndimubahire, the former Mayor of Rutsiro district yesterday appeared in court on charges of corruption in which a former district official is accused of swindling public funds. Jean Pierre Nsabimana, the former Executive Secretary of The National Youth Council at the district is under trial for allegedly mismanaging over Rwf3million and using forged documents to justify fake expenditures. Last month, Nsabimana confessed to committing the crimes in June 2007 and identified the former mayor as an accomplice, but Ndimubahire vehemently denied the accusations while appearing before Karongi Intermediate Court, yesterday. “It’s true that I signed a letter requesting for financial support but I deny any accusation of involvement in mismanagement of the funds,” said Ndimubahire. Flanked by his lawyer and wife, Ndimubahire looked confident and unmoved before a fully packed courtroom.The money in question was provided by the Public Health Program, a Swiss project which operates in both Rutsiro and Karongi districts, and was meant to conduct a two-day youth seminar. Prosecution alleges that the arrangement and intention of the seminar was marred by many irregularities from which the money was embezzled. “Judging from some of our witnesses for example, contrary to the proposed arrangement, the seminar was held only for a single day and 122 participants attended instead of 132,” prosecution said. It is alleged that Ndimubahire used his position as the mayor and coordinator of the National Youth Council at the district to influence Nsabimana in the mismanagement of the funds. Nsabimana insists that his involvement in the use of forged receipts to justify non-existent expenditures was under the mayor’s influence. Presiding judge Adolph Udahemuka adjourned the case to Thursday next week. Ends