Mukankomeje remanded for 30 days

Nyarugenge Intermediate court has remanded Dr Rose Mukankomeje, the Director General of Rwanda Environmental and Management Authority (REMA) concurring with prosecution that she might tamper with evidence once released on bail. She was remanded for 30 days as requested by prosecution, to allow time for further investigations into her case, before trial could begin in substance. Upon summarising charges against the accused and the defendant’s version, the presiding judge made reference to thorough scrutiny and analysis of the court before its decision to keep in custody Mukankomeje. Mukankomeje faces three counts; destruction of evidence, breach of professional secrecy, and tarnishing the image of statutory institutions as a leader. Yesterday’s ruling was made in the absence of both the defendant and prosecutors. Mukankomeje, according to prosecution, meddled in an ongoing investigation involving a certain Prudence Bisamaza, who is being probed in connection with an ongoing trial of former leaders of Rutsiro District who are accused of corruption. Bisamaza had repetitively sought to bail Thomas Murenzi, former Rutsiro executive secretary, in custody over corruption, unaware that the police was looking for him over similar allegations, before he disappeared, allegedly after a tip off from Mukankomeje. He remains at large. During her arraignment on Wednesday, prosecution played to court tapped phone conversation between Mukankomeje and Bizamaza, during which she is heard advising him to discard his sim-card as a way to recant the conversation, hence erasing evidence. Mukankomeje said she only called him to warn him against engaging in corruption tendencies. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Mukankomeje remanded for 30 days