Former president of the Rwanda Chess Federation, Ben Tom Zimurinda has been arrested in connection to the alleged embezzlement of funds. 

According to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Zimurinda was taken into custody on Thursday, February 24, 2022. 

The RIB spokesperson Thierry Murangira confirmed the developments. 

"He is detained at Kicukiro RIB Station. Investigations are going on,” Murangira told The New Times. 

Visit by Global Chess executive called off

The New Times has also learned that a planned visit to Rwanda by Arkady Dvorkovich, the president of the World Chess Federation, referred to by its French acronym FIDE, was cancelled. 

The FIDE President was expected to arrive in Kigali on February 24. 

Maxence Murara, chairperson of the Interim Executive Committee of the Rwanda Chess Federation declined to give details behind the cancellation of the visit. 

"All I can say for now is that the trip was cancelled, and I am yet to know the exact reasons," Murara said. 

He, however, acknowledged that reasons might include the internal issues in the local Federation.

The Federation has, for the past year, been embroiled in a dispute over issues related to alleged mismanagement and fraudulent behavior by some members.

Murara earlier this month said the aim of Dvorkovich’s visit was to promote initiatives aimed at strengthening chess development in the country such as Chess for Women and Chess in Education, and also introduce new programs such as Chess for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Chess for refugees.