Prosecution has ordered for the arrest of Prudence Rubingisa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the University of Rwanda. According to prosecution, Rubingisa is being investigated for awarding of undue advantages during the execution of a contract that led to loss of public funds. “He is being held at Kimihurura police station. We are investigating him on the charge of awarding undue advantage during the execution of a tender,” said Faustin Nkusi the spokesperson for National Public Prosecution Authority. “We shall give you more details after compiling the information we shall gather during investigations.” Nkusi said police have five days from his arrest before handing him back to prosecution which will produce him before court, should they conclude he has a case to answer. According to article 325 of the Penal Code, misuse of public funds attracts between seven to 10 years and fines ranging between two and five times the misused amount. According to sources, Rubingisa’s arrest could be linked to an investigation into a construction project at the Nyagatare Campus of University of Rwanda. “He was arrested together with Felicien Munyaneza, the Managing Director of Exert Engneering Group, which had the tender to undertake the construction works,” the source said. The source said that Rubingisa, at different times, authorised payments to the contractor, all totalling to about Rwf1bn, despite there being no works on ground to justify the payment. When contacted, Assistant Commissioner of Police Theos Badege, the police spokesperson only confirmed the arrest but said that prosecution was better placed to comment because it is on their mandate that the arrest was made. Formerly called Umutara Polytechnic University, Nyagatare Campus became part of the University of Rwanda after a merger of seven public institutions of higher learning four years ago.
