Former Secretary General of the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA), Adolphe 'Camarade' Kalisa, will remain in detention pending the substantive hearing of his case after the High Court in Kigali rejected his request for provisional release. Kalisa, who has been in custody since September 2025, is facing charges related to alleged embezzlement and forgery of documents linked to trips undertaken by the national football team Amavubi during his tenure at FERWAFA. In a ruling delivered on June 30, the High Court denied his application for provisional release and ordered that he remain in Nyarugenge Correctional Facility pending trial. The decision follows a hearing held on June 23, during which Kalisa requested for temporary release on medical grounds. He told the court that he had been suffering from back problems even before his arrest and had already begun receiving specialised treatment in Algeria. According to Kalisa, his detention has made it difficult for him to continue receiving the care he needed. Kalisa also told the court that he had developed kidney and heart complications since his imprisonment, which, he argued, required treatment outside the correctional facility. Another argument advanced by the former football administrator was that he had already returned the money he is accused of embezzling. Kalisa told the court that he had returned $21,387 (approximately Rwf31.55 million) and that he intended to pursue individuals he had contracted, whom he claimed were responsible for defrauding him. Prosecutors acknowledged that Kalisa has health challenges but maintained that correctional facility authorities had been providing him with the medical care required under the law. They argued that a detainee's illness does not automatically justify release on bail, particularly when correctional facilities are making efforts to ensure adequate treatment. Regarding the reimbursement of the disputed funds, prosecutors confirmed that Kalisa voluntarily deposited $21,387 in FERWAFA's account on March 17. However, they insisted that repaying the money does not erase criminal liability. While acknowledging that returning the funds was a positive step, prosecutors argued that it did not exempt Kalisa from prosecution, especially given the seriousness of the charges and the penalties he could face if found guilty. The case stems from allegations that Kalisa falsified financial records related to Amavubi's international trips. During previous hearings, prosecutors accused him of diverting part of approximately $43,000 allocated for accommodation expenses during the national team's stay at Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo, Nigeria. They alleged that forged documents were used to conceal the irregularities and misrepresent the actual expenditures trip. Kalisa denied wrongdoing. In his defence, he told the court that he acted in good faith and relied on information provided by a FIFA-accredited agent involved in organising the travel arrangements. He argued that he had no reason to suspect any wrongdoing and rejected allegations that he intentionally misappropriated funds or falsified documents.
