Investigators train in financial crime, asset recovery

Forty senior investigators and prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman, Rwanda National Police, and Rwanda National Public Prosecution Authority are undergoing five-day training in financial crime and asset recovery. The training, which opened yesterday, is part of the 8th Interpol Global Programme on corruption. The training is organized by Interpol’s Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes unit in coordination with the Office of the Ombudsman of Rwanda and will cover different themes including fraud, financial crimes, abuse of authority, corruption in procurement and contracting, according to organisers. Jean Pierre Nkurunziza, the advisor to the Ombudsman, the training will empower participants to successfully identify, investigate and prosecute cases of corruption and related financial crimes. He added that participants will also examine the latest tools and techniques for investigating different forms of corruption. “The focus of this workshop is on evidence collection in complex cases of corruption and use of tools and services provided by Interpol to facilitate recovery of corrupt proceeds. The innovative new tool developed by Interpol, the I-SECOM, provides direct and secure communication among the investigators and prosecutors involved in multi-jurisdictional asset recovery,” Nkurunziza explained. The Office of the Ombudsman is now a member of a Network of Agencies for Asset Recovery in East Africa (ARIN-EA), an initiative of the World Bank. “It is very good to join the network as it will help ease access to information across the world. It will also be easier for the Office of the Ombudsman to request Interpol to investigate particular cases,” he said. Interpol’s Global Focal Point Network links registered anti-corruption practitioners worldwide and provides them with access to a range of investigative tools and services, including contact details of their counterparts around the globe, legislative and judicial frameworks concerning asset recovery, all valid Interpol notices issued for corruption-related cases, and an ‘initial action checklist’ to assist with the first stages of an investigation. Some 170 national investigators and prosecutors from nearly 100 countries have been nominated as Focal Points.