Richard Muhumuza addresses the press
The Rwanda Prosecutor General, Richard Muhumuza says his office will continue following up on cases of embezzlement, misuse of government funds and illegal tendering processes which have cost the tax payers’ money.
Muhumuza made the remarks while addressing the press Thursday, in an event to highlight what the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) has done in response to corruption cases cited in the auditor general’s report 2010-2011.
Muhumuza said the National Public Prosecution Authority was able to respond to the report by establishing a team to follow up the indicated cases of corruption, and analyze the report of the auditor general and file prosecution case of indicted civil servants.
In this exercise, the National Public Prosecution Authority managed to screen 107 government institutions, 90 investigated, two sent to the military court and 15 came out clean.
In the same exercise, 39 cases were analyzed and a total of 93 cases were analyzed and a stand taken on each accordingly. In this case, 35 institutions and projects were sent to court, with 158 persons in court- 78 of them at the national level, 80 at the district level.
At least 21 government institutions were blacklisted for tendencies to misuse government funds and 41 of the civil servants were victims of such erroneous tendencies.
A total of Rwf149.191.820 was lost in the due process of corruption, and embezzlement, plus 7 billion lost due poor management of tendering process and procedures.
The prosecution has so far recover Rwf25millions and Rwf44.7 in tax exemptions.
The prosecution office says that the need to recover and follow up on these cases of corruption will not stop and there is need to tighten nuts so as to curb the culture of embezzlement of public funds.
During the 11th National Dialogue, Rwandans asked President Paul Kagame to take action on local leaders and civil servants who are accustomed to misusing government funds, and these actions be made public so that the community is contented.
Kagame said that corruption in the Rwandan society will not be given a place and serious measures have to be taken so that corruption doesn’t impede the country’s development and focus of self reliance and security in general.