The newly established Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has appealed to government to urgently address the issue of office space the institution is faced with, to be able to effectively discharge its mandate.
According to Col Jeannot Ruhunga, the Secretary General of RIB, the investigation agency is still short of about 40 offices and enough interview rooms to conduct its designated duties.
Ruhunga raised these concerns during his meeting with Justice Minister Johnston Busingye who had visited the RIB Headquarters in Kimihurura, yesterday.
RIB is an independent institution, but under justice ministry supervision.
The new institution took over some of the technical and professional functions previously exercised by Rwanda National Police, including judicial police functions; criminal and counter-terrorism investigation, crime intelligence, and economic and financial crimes investigation.
Ruhunga also said that the institution is still short of some required high-tech equipment to effectively investigate some contemporary crimes.
"RIB is new institution that is still building its capacity and we are still lacking in a number of areas such as technology, Budget and enough space to conduct our interviews.” Ruhunga told The New Times.
According to Ruhunga, some investigations have stalled due to lack of ample space for interviews by the agency staff.
"The building we have is really good but it does not have enough space for all our staff. Sometimes of our staff have been forced to interview three people in the same room which is not ideal and in some cases some interviews have delayed because we don’t have enough space. But after the minister’s visit we really hope to get a solution to this because the government has been so supportive,” he said.
The bureau currently occupies a building near the former offices of Kimihurura Sector, which was until recently occupied by Rwanda National Police.
463 police officers formerly working under police CID plus other officers from different police departments and other security organs were transferred to RIB—with most of the have since ceased to be police officers.
However, The New Times understands that some of the RIB staff are still on acting basis with their positions yet to be confirmed as full investigators.
On his part, Minister Busingye pledged to find a "lasting solution” to RIB’s issues noting that the government will do what it takes to ensure that the institution serves the intended purpose.
"RIB is set to excel and it has the firm foundation and support from all stakeholders,” Busingye said after touring the agency.
"On the challenges they (RIB) face, they are a new institution and we need to be more careful and ensure that nothing stops them from functioning (effectively). We have been looking for budget from all agencies to create resources for core economic drivers of the country. We will find a lasting solution,” he said.
The Minister also noted that the government will soon figure out the status of some RIB officials whose’ positions are not fully determined yet.
RIB is specialised public organ under the oversight of the Ministry of Justice, just like the Rwanda National Police, Rwanda Correctional Services and the National Public Prosecution Authority.
RIB is expected to counter contemporary and emerging crimes such as, drug and human trafficking, cybercrimes, terrorism economic and cross-border crimes that need high-tech security personnel and sophisticated investigations in a more professional manner.
It has the powers to arrest and detain suspects in criminal cases; cordon off and restrict access to an area or set up a roadblock for the purposes of maintaining security, and preventing and detecting crimes, according to officials.
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