Former FERWAFA Secretary General Adolphe Kalisa, also known as Camarade, has been remanded for 30 days pending trial. He is accused of embezzlement and document forgery linked to trips made with the national football team, Amavubi.
In a ruling delivered on September 29, Gasabo Primary Court denied Kalisa bail citing the gravity of the charges, and the prosecutors’ concerns that he might interfere with the ongoing investigations if released.
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Kalisa is accused of embezzling funds and falsifying financial records related to Amavubi’s trips. Specifically, prosecutors claim that he diverted a portion of the $43,000 allocated for the team's stay at Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo, Nigeria last year.
Upon the team’s return to Kigali, Kalisa reportedly claimed that all the funds had been spent. However, later, there were different reports indicating discrepancies.
Additionally, the prosecutors allege Kalisa inflated budgets for the upcoming 2025 World Cup qualifiers. For example, he allegedly submitted hotel costs of $56,320 for an August 2025 trip, even though the actual request from the hotel was only $26,000.
Kalisa’s reporting for another trip to South Africa was similarly questioned when he claimed $35,000 for hotel expenses, despite a witness, Desire Niyitanga, disputing the figures.
Kalisa also allegedly submitted forged invoices, including one for the Nigerian trip, and claimed to have entrusted part of the payments to a third party, whom he identified as a ‘FIFA agent’ named Kenani.
In defence, Kalisa denied all charges, maintaining that he trusted the FIFA agent, Kenani, and had no reason to suspect any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Emmanuel Bizimana, appealed for bail, citing Kalisa’s offering to provide bail worth more than four times the disputed sum.
However, the court upheld its decision to remand him. Kalisa now has five days to appeal the court’s decision.
The charges Kalisa faces carry penalties that vary from five to 10 years' imprisonment.