Over 80 RIB investigators sacked over corruption
Tuesday, February 07, 2023
Rwanda Investigation Bureau personnel during a general assembly in Kigali, on February 7. According to the officials ,RIB has sacked 88 of its personnel over corruption and other professional malpractices. Courtesy

Since 2018, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has sacked 88 of its personnel over corruption and other professional malpractices.

Some of them, especially those who took bribes, have been prosecuted in courts of law.

All this was disclosed on Tuesday, February 7, during an annual general assembly of RIB personnel.

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"Over the last five years since when RIB was established, about 80 staff members have been sacked over taking bribes,” Jeannot Ruhunga, RIB Secretary General, told journalists on Tuesday.

"When corrupt workers are sacked, it should serve as a warning to the other staff members that our policy is zero tolerance when it comes to corruption.”

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Ruhunga added that staff members caught taking bribes or involved in corruption will be prosecuted and tried in courts of law, adding that tighter disciplinary measures are already in place.

"Even if not found guilty by court, we will sack the corrupt worker if circumstantial evidence proves that he or she took the bribe,” he said.

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Disciplinary sanctions include suspension of pay for the workers involved in other professional misconduct, apart from corruption.

Emmanuel Ugirasebuja, the Minister of Justice, who attended the general assembly, said that RIB should be a corruption-free institution.

"Measures need to be taken to ensure that corruption is prevented. There also have to be strong and robust measures for an institution like RIB to get rid of the bad apples,” Ugirashebuja said.

"If there is corruption in this institution, the entire justice system is affected because justice delivery starts with investigations, before it gets to the courts.”

In 2022, Rwanda was ranked the fourth least corrupt country in Africa, by Transparency International.