Nyagatare district:The Executive Secretary of a cell and the Security Officer of that Cell have had their case file submitted to the Prosecution. They are accused of taking a bribe of 100,000 Rwandan francs, which they allegedly demanded from a farmer, claiming it was to buy a printer for the Cell.
The Rwanda prosecution agencies as sources, they confirmed the case , and that the case was already submitted to high level justice authorities in Nyagatare district.
The prosecutions authorities said that , the two suspect leaders to have received corruption of 100.000RF, they asked it from a farmer who normally buys organic manures, as he was piling it up to road surface. After he had piled that manure near the road, the Cell authorities asked him to remove it, saying it was causing pollution.
The Prosecution states:
“After he removed it, the Executive Secretary of the Cell, together with the Security Officer, later passed by and stopped his workers who were piling it up again in a nearby plot.
To resolve the matter, the resident was fined one hundred thousand Rwandan francs (100,000 RF), which they disguised as a contribution to the Private Sector Federation (PSF) and for buying a printer for the Cell. In reality, they wanted him to give them the money so that they would allow him to continue collecting manure there without disturbance.”
After being asked to pay that money, the resident reported to the authorities that it was a bribe, and the Cell Security Officer was caught red-handed receiving it.
The corruption crime is punishable under the LAW N°54/2018 OF 13/08/2018 RELATING TO THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
Article 4: Requesting, accepting or offering a bribe
Any person who requests, offers, or accepts, in any form whatsoever, a bribe of any kind for themselves or for another person, or who agrees to such arrangements in order to do or refrain from doing something within their duties, or by using their position so that something is done or not done, commits an offence.
If convicted by a court, they are liable to imprisonment of more than five (5) years but not exceeding seven (7) years, and a fine of three (3) to five (5) times the value of the bribe requested or received.
The penalties provided in paragraph 2 of this Article also apply to anyone who offers or promises to offer, in any form whatsoever, a bribe of any kind to themselves or to another person in order for a service to be provided or withheld.
If the acts referred to in paragraphs 1 and 3 of this Article are committed in order to do something unlawful, the penalty is imprisonment of more than seven (7) years but not exceeding ten (10) years, and a fine of three (3) to five (5) times the value of the bribe requested or received.
END.
