Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has confirmed submission to the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA), the case of Rwanda’s Football Federation (Ferwafa) officials. Thierry Murangira, the spokesperson of RIB, said that the case was handed over to NPPA on Monday, June 27, for further investigation. The three suspects, Felix Nzeyimana, former head of competitions at Ferwafa, referee Javan Tuyisenge and Henry Muhire, former Secretary-General of Ferwafa are suspected of committing crimes of forgery and falsification. According to the investigation body, all three are charged with three counts of alleged forgery, falsification, and use of forged documents in an attempt to disqualify Rwamagana FC from the second division league knockout stage. Nzeyimana and Tuyisenge were arrested on June 23, while Muhire will be prosecuted but is not under not custody. Nzeyimana’s arrest comes after Ferwafa relieved him of his duties earlier last week, while Muhire was also suspended from his position. The investigation started a few days after Ferwafa filed a case to RIB requesting for investigation into the institution over corruption cases. Murangira said that Muhire will be prosecuted but not detained, according to Article 66 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The article states that a suspect is prosecuted while not in detention. They may be held in provisional detention if there are sufficient grounds to believe that they committed an offense that is punishable with imprisonment for a term of at least two years. However, even if the penalty provided is less than two years but not less than six months, the investigator or prosecutor may provisionally detain the suspect due to various reasons. Those include if there is reason to believe that the suspect may evade justice and the identity of the suspect is unknown or doubtful among others. Meanwhile, NPPA is expected to examine the case as well and decide whether to proceed to trial.
