The prosecution has appealed the Nyarugenge Primary court's decision to grant bail to Jean-Bosco Harelimana, the former Director-General of the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA), and his co-accused.
The case also involves Claver Hakizimana, the procurement officer at RCA, and Liliane Gahongayire, a former logistics officer at the agency.
During the appeal hearing held at the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on November 6, the prosecution pointed out that their appeal was based on several reasons. They argued that the lower court disregarded some of the evidence they had submitted and prematurely concluded that their investigation was complete, among other reasons.
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According to the prosecution, the trio is facing charges related to the violation of public tender procedures and the misuse of public resources.
Regarding Harelimana, the prosecution claimed that the court ignored a piece of evidence – an audio recording they had submitted. The lower court had ruled that the person who recorded the voices did so illegally, rendering the recording unacceptable. In the audio, Harelimana was allegedly heard saying that he had the authority to hire or fire individuals at his decision.
Furthermore, regarding the charge of influence peddling, the prosecution contended that the lower court had only considered the audio evidence while ignoring other reasons that could implicate Halerimana in the crime among other reasons.
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In the case of Hakizimana, the prosecution emphasized that the lower court had overlooked submitted evidence that could link him to the two crimes he was being prosecuted for.
Regarding Gahongayire, they highlighted that the lower court's decision to dismiss her as a suspect was incorrect. The prosecution argued that her signing of the delivery note for items she did not receive had caused RCA to make payments that they should not have made.
The prosecution requested the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court to remand the suspects pending further investigation.
In response, the defendants pleaded not guilty and requested the court to uphold the lower court's decision to grant them bail. They argued that they had been cooperating and fulfilling their reporting obligations, particularly for those required to report to the prosecution or not travel beyond Kigali. They claimed that there was no need for them to be remanded pending trial, citing various reasons.
The court is expected to deliver its ruling on November 9.