The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) announced on February 23 that it detained eight staff members over crimes in recruitment exams in public service, saying such acts impair fair competition in the labour market.
The suspects include four internal [financial] auditors, a business development officer, and three officers in charge of investment and labour, it indicated.
The internal auditors are Jean Baptiste Nyirigira, at the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA); Reuben Rwakirenzi, at Rwanda Governance Board (RGB); Claudine Dubasemariya, in Ruhango District; and Olive Uwamariya, in Ngoma District.
The three officers in charge of investment and labour are Peninah Uwimigishayaziye in Kansi Sector, Gisagara District, Emmanuel Mutabikangwa in Kigembe Sector, Gisagara District, and Fidele Nzamurambaho in Gikonko Sector, Gisagara District.
Lastly, there is Olivier Muhire, a Business Development Officer/BDO in Gishubi Sector, Gisagara District.
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Ploys allegedly used
RIB Spokesperson Thierry Murangira said their arrest followed an investigation the institution has been carrying out on crimes related to theft and sale of recruitment exams.
He pointed out that all the eight implicated individuals are accused of about five charges—soliciting or receiving bribes, fraud, failure to explain sources of assets, impersonation, and access to a computer or computer system data.
"Investigation exposed some of the ploys by which these crimes were committed, including stealing exams in the e-recruitment system belonging to the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, and then selling them to job contenders in various public entities. They were selling an exam at more than Rwf500,000,” he said.
"Investigation continues to expose anyone who is involved, including people who got jobs through such a fraudulent way mentioned above,” he said.
The crimes in question, Murangira indicated, are punishable by varying penalties, ranging from a two-year imprisonment sentence for the smallest to 10 years of jail term for the biggest, and a fine of between three times and five times the implicated bribe, or of the value of the asset for which one fails to explain its legitimate source.
RIB advises Rwandans to shun such fraudulent, or corruption acts, and other various crimes, he said.