Ministry reopens college after alleged theft by 12 staffers

Following an investigation and the arrest of 12 staff members for the alleged theft and misappropriation of funds, the Rwanda Integrated Polytechnic Regional College Kigali, or IPRC-Kigali, closed on 23 October, will be allowed to reopen on 7 November, the ministry of education announced.

The ministry closed the college, which is one of eight Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleges – all public institutions – that are offering technical and vocational skills at university level under the Rwanda Polytechnic.

“Students who have returned home are requested to return to the campus to continue their studies,” the ministry said in a communique, which also invited academic and administrative staff members back to the campus.

Following the closure and a subsequent investigation, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) arrested several senior employees and a dossier was submitted for prosecution. The arrested, according to the RIB, are 12 employees who were involved in the management of the institution.

According to Thierry Murangira, a spokesperson for the RIB, some stolen equipment has subsequently been recovered.

RIB said that the suspects were facing three charges: the use of forged documents, embezzlement and theft.

The suspects appeared in the Kicukiro intermediate court on 2 November for a bail hearing, but it was postponed to 10 November after the defendants’ legal representatives requested more time to prepare for the case.

Upon conviction on the charge of embezzlement, a person faces imprisonment of between seven years and 10 years and a fine that is three to five times the embezzled amount, according to Rwanda’s penal code.