Air-ticket scandal: Why RDF soldiers were remanded, civilians granted bail

A military tribunal in Kigali on Tuesday, August 26, ruled to remand three Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) officers while granting bail to 25 other defendants in a case centred around alleged misuse of Ministry of Defence (MoD) funds to illegally purchase air tickets. The case which has drawn wide public interest involves military personnel, Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) officers, civilians including sports journalists. In total, 28 people are standing trial. Delivering the bail decision, the presiding judge said there were reasonable grounds to suspect that three RDF officers, Maj. Vincent Murigande, Capt. Peninah Mutoni and Capt. Peninah Umurungi, committed crimes linked to the misuse of public funds. ALSO READ: Military, prisons officers, sports journalists charged in military tribunal Murigande, formerly Head of Travels at the MoD, is accused of complicity in the misuse of state resources. The court, however, found no reasonable grounds on the charge of issuing documents to unauthorised persons against him. Mutoni, who worked in RDF’s Protocol Department, faces charges of misuse of public funds and using forged documents. The judge said there are sufficient reasons to suspect her involvement, but not enough to sustain accusations that she issued documents to unauthorised persons. As for Umurungi, the tribunal ruled that there were grounds to suspect her of complicity in the misuse of public funds, but dismissed accusations that she is an accomplice in issuing documents improperly. Meanwhile, the 25 others, including RCS senior officers CSP Hillary Sengabo, the spokesperson of RCS, and CSP Olive Mukantabana, journalists Reagan “Rugaju” Ndayishimiye and Richard Ishimwe, former journalist Biganiro Mucyo, APR FC treasurer Georgine Kalisa, and APR fans’ spokesperson Frank “Janguani” Mugisha, Gerald Cyaruhinda, RwandAir employee, among others, were granted bail. The court said there was insufficient evidence directly linking them to the alleged crimes. Their trial will continue while they remain out of custody. Alleged ticket scandal The scandal stems from tickets purchased for APR FC’s continental matches against Egypt’s Pyramids FC and Tanzania’s Azam FC. Prosecutors allege that MoD funds were misused to buy tickets for civilians, fans, and journalists. Mutoni is accused of diverting MoD resources to cover tickets for people who had deposited money into her personal or mobile money accounts for the same purpose. Instead of using the funds she received, she allegedly tapped into MoD accounts without authorisation. In November 2024, she is further accused of improperly authorising tickets for RCS officers Mukantabana and Sengabo while they were on UN peacekeeping duty in South Sudan, costs they were expected to cover personally. Umurungi, also on UN duty, is alleged to have benefited in the same way. Murigande, as Head of Travels, allegedly approved ticket purchases verbally, bypassing formal procedures. Meanwhile, Cyaruhinda was charged with helping forge receipts to show that Umurungi had paid for her ticket when she had not. Another accusation against Mutoni and Murigande involves allegedly covering up a $700 loss from Umurungi’s airline ticketing job by passing it off as a MoD expense. All 28 defendants pleaded not guilty. It was heard in court that during the bail hearing, Sengabo and Mukantabana pleaded not guilty, arguing that they did not personally know Mutoni. They explained that they were connected to her through Umurungi, who had also worked in the Protocol Department and served with them on a UN mission. The two officers said that when they wanted to return home for a break, they had paid for their own plane tickets. Furthermore, in his defense, Ishimwe said he sought $800 in sponsorship for his trip, but after missing his Egypt Air flight, he arranged to travel with APR at his own expense. Meanwhile, Mugisha, the APR fans’ spokesperson, said supporters collectively paid for his ticket, absolving him of personal responsibility. Ndayishimiye argued that while he covered APR’s match in Tanzania in his capacity as a journalist, his trip to Egypt was purely as a fan, for which he paid the required fees. Others, including fans and civilians, also testified that they had paid Mutoni directly through mobile money, cash deposits, or transfers and had no role in misusing state resources. Although no total amount was specified in court, testimonies revealed payments from people, some paid ranging between $525 and $1,100, and Rwf 200,000 to Rwf 710,000. The funds were allegedly received in Mutoni’s personal accounts, through mobile money, or handed to her directly.

News

Air-ticket scandal: Why RDF soldiers were remanded, civilians granted bail