Prosecution contests BNR official’s release

A director in the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) who is facing bribery allegations appeared before the High Court on Wednesday after Prosecution filed an appeal challenging his temporary release.Jean Damascene Nkurunziza, the BNR Director of Operations, is charged with bribing a Gacaca court president in Kigali. October 7, Nkurunziza was caught red-handed at Le Printemps Bar in Kimironko giving Frw60, 000 bribe to Antoine Mupende, the president of Nyarugunga Sector Court of Appeal.He was subsequently arrested and charged but Gasabo Higher Instance Court later released him temporarily after pleading guilty, a decision which prompted the prosecution to appeal at the High Court.Prosecutor Bonaventure Ruberwa said that Nkurunziza first claimed that the money he had given to the Gacaca official was not a bribe but later confessed that he was trying to bribe the judge to release his brother.It is alleged that the Frw60, 000 was a down payment for the Frw200, 000 bribe, which Nkurunziza had promised Mupende in the event where the latter released his (Nkurunziza’s) brother, Vianney Mugiraneza.But Nkurunziza’s lawyer, Athanase Rutabingwa, argued that his client was detained longer than the prescribed period before appearing in court, which is against the law.According to the law, a suspect is supposed to be produced before court upon arrest in less than 76 hours. Rutabingwa argued that Nkurunziza pleaded guilty, and was thus entitled to trial outside prison.Ends