A team from the anti-corruption unit recently arrested a government prosecutor attached to Ngoma Intermediate Court on allegations of extorting money from suspects. The Prosecutor, Emmanuel Binego Bimenyimana was arrested following a tip-off from a victim of his scam. He was detained at Nyagatare police station in Eastern Province. Bimenyimana had allegedly collected money on the promise he would doctor their files and make it hard to sustain evidence against them. He had also allegedly promised to propose to the presiding judge to pass a lighter sentence against them. The suspects allegedly gave him money but only on condition that they win the battle in court which never happened. The New Times could not independently verify how much money Bimenyimana had received from the suspects who have since been transferred to Ntsinda Prison in Rwamagana which is also in the Eastern Province. When contacted on Monday evening, Augustin Nkusi, the National Public Prosecutions Authority (NPPA) Spokesperson confirmed Bimenyimana’s arrest. “This is a public servant who knows clearly that soliciting bribes is illegal. The war against corruption in the judiciary is on course,” Nkusi said at his office in Kimihurura. He said Bimenyimana was being held together with Emmanuel Mulinga, a driver at Ngoma Court. “Mulinga is being held as Bimenyimana’s accomplice,” Nkusi revealed. He said police are also holding another lawyer, Songa Kanamugire on bribery related cases. A source at Ngoma court said yesterday that Bimenyimana was soliciting bribes from Jean de Dien Ndagijimana, Andrew Mutimba alias Ngarambe and Donatien Nsengiyumva all facing different charges. According to the source, one of the suspects gave the prosecutor Rwf 100,000. Other suspects also claimed to have sent money an unspecified amount to Bimenyimana. Documents available from the Office of Prosecutor General indicate that the suspects had officially written to Bimenyimana, demanding for refund. According to MTN printouts, Bimenyimana called one of the suspects twenty six times to allegedly seal the deal. The suspect called him in turn six times. Bimenyimana’s arrest comes amid ongoing crackdown on corrupt officials from the judiciary who are bent on undermining justice through bribery. Last week, members of the anti-corruption team picked up a city lawyer Olivier Muhizi while tying to bribe a judge at Kagarama Court of Lower Instance in Gikondo, a Kigali City suburb. Muhizi allegedly presented $2,000 to the judge for him to deliver a ruling in favour of his client but the judge instead alerted members of the anti-corruption team who immediately arrested Muhizi. Ends
