Kicukiro Primary Court, on Friday, March 28, remanded Noella Bigirimana, a former Deputy Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), citing reasonable grounds to suspect her of violating the process of issuing a government tender, which was awarded to a company belonging to her mother.

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During a bail hearing earlier this week, the prosecutors told court that Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) investigated Bigirimana after information pointed to her a role in securing the tender for Bio Pharmacia, a company owned by her mother Venantie Mukarivuze.

Awarded in 2023, the tender was for repairing various medical equipment in health facilities. According to the prosecutors, more than Rwf127 million has been spent on the tender so far.

Bigirimana is being charged alongside her mother, and one Therese Dusabe, who allegedly played a role in altering the ownership of Bio Pharmacia during the process of securing the tender.

The prosecutors requested that the court remand Bigirimana for 30 days, noting that there were reasonable grounds to suspect she had been involved in the irregularities surrounding the tender process.

Bigirimana argued that, as the deputy head of RBC, she was not responsible for tenders. She emphasised that the tender issuance process is clearly outlined by law, and the procedures that are required were respected in the tender process in question.

She also stated that she had never had access to the online tendering system, adding that the tender had been awarded to the company after her mother had already retired and left it.

On Friday, the court granted the prosecutors' request and remanded her, citing reasonable grounds for suspicion. The hearing of the case in substance will take place while she remains in custody.

Meanwhile, her mother and Dusabe were granted bail, although the court noted that there were also reasonable grounds for them to be suspected of wrongdoing.