Govt blocks controversial auction of Kigali building

Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama has halted the auctioning of a building in Kisimenti, Kigali, by Rwanda Commercial Bank (BCR).In a statement, the minister said he intervened after it was found out that multiple persons separately secured court orders to auction the building, which belongs to Genocide convict Etienne Nzabonimana.After BCR indicated intentions to auction the building, it emerged that a group of Genocide survivors had secured court orders to sell the building to raise reparation. Nzabonimana, a businessman convicted in Belgium on June 29, 2005, for his role in the Genocide, in the 1990s acquired about Rwf297m loan from BCR under his company, Nosocorwa. The Belgian court that sentenced him also ordered compensation of 15 Genocide survivors with about Rwf463 million.Another group of 273 Genocide survivors from Ngoma district are in possession of a permit from Ngoma Intermediate Court authorising them to sell the building at a tune of Rwf556m for each of them to get Rwf2 million as reparation.Another group of nine people also have a selling permit from Gasabo Intermediate Court allowing them to sell the same building at a tune of Rwf1.8b so that each of them gets Rwf200m as compensation. BCR also secured a court order to auction the building.“There is a lot that’s unclear about these dossiers, the reparations and this loan. You can’t know who is telling the truth, so we have set up a special committee of six people to investigate the cases and report back in two weeks,” Karugarama said.Last week, the minister called for a crisis meeting with Prosecution, CID, KCC, Gasabo district, BCR and the commission for abandoned properties over the matter. The meeting called for stay of auction.

National

Govt blocks controversial auction of Kigali building