The Police on Tuesday stated that two disgruntled former police officers whose complaints are being examined by Parliament were laid off, and not fired.Police Spokesperson, Theos Badege, yesterday told The New Times that both Consolee Uwera and Brigitte Ingabire were not dismissed but rather laid off by Ministerial Instruction No. 02/2011 of September 23, 2011.This comes after one of the complainants, Uwera, on Monday implored members of the lower chamber’s committee on foreign affairs, cooperation and security to help get her job back which she lost allegedly due to her involvement in a bribery scam. Uwera, a former judicial police officer (OPJ), has formally requested Parliament’s intervention.She claims her job came to an abrupt end last year, after serving in the force for seven years, due to what she told MPs was a fabricated bribery charge purportedly orchestrated by a former commanding officer who also reportedly often insulted her. Another ‘retired’ former officer, Ingabire, similarly brought a separate sexual harassment complaint to Parliament.“Lay off is one way of termination of service by the police as provided for by the Presidential Order No.04/01 of 21/03/2011modifying and complementing the Presidential Order No.155/01 of 31/12/2002 on Statute Governing Rwanda National Police,” Badege said of the “cases of the two retired police officers.” “The decision was taken by a competent authority and based on criteria and standards provided by RNP statute and concerned police are consulted or involved and given opportunity of appeal at each level before the last decision.”According to Badege, the duo was granted their retirement benefits equivalent to six months’ net salary and “the packages are given during the exit procedure.”
