University of Rwanda Deputy VC arrested

Pudence Rubingisa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the University of Rwanda, is under arrest. This was announced Saturday by Faustin Nkusi, spokesperson for National Public Prosecution Authority. “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 Nkusi. “We shall give you more details after compiling the information we shall gather during investigations”. Nkusi said police have five days 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 and 10 years and fines ranging between two and five times the misused amount. According to reliable sources, Rubingisa’s arrest could be linked to an investigation into a construction project at the Nyagatare campus of the University of Rwanda. “He was arrested together with Felicien Munyaneza, the Managing Director of Exert Engineering Group, which had the tender to undertake the construction works,” the source said. It added that Rubingisa, at different times, authorised payments to the contractor, all totalling to about Rwf1bn, despite there being no works on the ground to justify the payment. The police spokesperson could not be reached by press time to corroborate the information. Formerly called Umutara Polytecnic University, Nyagatare Campus became part of the University of Rwanda after a merger of seven public institutions of higher learning four years ago. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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University of Rwanda Deputy VC arrested