Established in 2010, Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) was the result of merging the former National Prisons Service and the Executive Secretariat of National Committee of Community Services as an alternative penalty to imprisonment.
RCS has transformed into an institution that rehabilitates inmates into more responsible citizens upon release.
During celebrations held yesterday, RCS Commissioner General, CG George Rwigamba explained that the institution has over the past ten years achieved a lot including expansion of prisons, revising inmates correction strategies and providing them with Mutuelle de Sante.
“We have expanded activities over the past ten years that we currently have 13 prisons. One of them is Nyagatare Juvenile Prison designed to meet human rights requirements. In the meantime, four new prisons were constructed and renovated many more. Before, prison infrastructures were old, small and lacking essentials to correct inmates appropriately,” he said.
The institution is also proud to have changed mindsets that prisons are no longer perceived for painful penalties but rather a chance for correction whereby inmates acquire different skills for survival as they are reintegrated in the community.
However, RCS says, inmates’ transformed livelihoods should not give room for offenses.
Anastase Nabahire, the Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order Sector Secretariat Coordinator in the Ministry of Justice who represented the Minister of Justice during the ceremony hailed RCS contribution in shaping inmates’ behaviors and equipping them with different skills.
Since inception, RCS increased prison warders from 1000 to 2000.
As of today, Rwanda has 13 prisons accommodating over 75,000 inmates.
The handover took place this Saturday at RAF headquarters in Remera in presence of Germany ambassador in Rwanda, Dr Thomas Kurz and RAF President , Fidèle Mubiligi.
Received kits include starting-blocks, shotput, discus, javelin and baton relays.
Dr Thomas Kurz revealed that the donations align with efforts to support athletics in Rwanda and assured continues support in different areas.
“It is part of existing partnership. Even though some activities were suspended due to COVID-19, we hope they will resume next year and continue training coaches like we did last year in November. Some coaches are given scholarship for training in Germany and hope to continue doing so,” he said.
The President of RAF, Fidèle Mubiligi explained there was a gap before receiving the equipment.
“We had shortage of such equipment yet available ones are outdated. It will help us to prepare our athletes to get familiar with better equipment and use them accordingly during international competitions,” he said.
RAF also revealed that these equipment will enable to organize more competitions that were suspended over scarce resources.
In Kigali, one Kennedy Ngirabakunzi was arrested in Intwali Village, Rwampara Cell of Nyarugenge Sector in Nyarugenge District, in possession of 40kgs of Cassiterite.
Ngirabakunzi had allegedly acquired the minerals from another suspected illegal mineral dealer in Rutonde Cell, Shyorongi Sector in Rulindo District, according to the Police.
“Following information from a resident that Ngirabakunzi is an illegal mineral dealer and had acquired some quantities of Cassiterite from another mineral dealer in Shyorongi, he was intercepted in Nyarugenge with 40kgs. He was at the time transporting the precious minerals on a motorcycle, which was also impounded,” said Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali.
Four others were arrested in Kamonyi District. They include the trio of Jean de Dieu Ndahimana, Sandrine Niyoniringira and Tito Hagenimana, who were arrested in Rukoma Sector with 26.5kgs of coltan; and Samuel Mugisha, who was arrested in Kayenzi Sector where he was found mining.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that the separate operations had been planned and targeted individuals and groups listed as illegal minerals dealers.
“Ndahimana, Niyoniringira and Hagenimana were on the list of illegal minerals dealers in Kamonyi. On Wednesday night, Police received information that Ndahimana and Niyoniringira had brought new consignments of minerals at their homes in Bugoba and Mwirute cells, respectively.
During the Police search at about 5am on Thursday, officers recovered 20kgs of coltan from the house of Niyoniringira and 6.5kgs in the house of Ndahimana,” said SP Kanamugire.
“Later that early morning, Police officers directed their operations at the coltan concession in Rukoma, from where they got the minerals. They caught their accomplice Hagenimana at the site with a generator, spades, torches and a weighing scale, which they were using in illegal mining as well as a motorcycle, which they were using to transport the minerals,” he added.
Meanwhile, Samuel Mugisha was arrested at a mining concession located in Kayenzi Sector, Bugarama Cell in Buhurura Village.
“Besides dealing in minerals or conducting mining illegally, the two concessions in Rukoma and Kayenzi are no longer in use. They were closed over safety concerns and entering in these tunnels is like committing suicide. Targeted operations against these unlawful and life-threatening activities are continuous,” SP Kanamugire warned.
Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence commits an offence.”
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that the illegal gathering was reported by residents in the area.
“Residents had reported that this specific religious group converges in the forest every Thursday. Reacting to this information, security organs and local leaders, on Thursday, went to the forest where the 42 people were found gathered, praying. Majority of them are members of ADEPR Church from the sectors of Gishubi, Mamba and Muganza,” said SP Kanamugire.
The violators include 28 women and nine men, with five children. 32 violators are residents of Muganza Sector; seven came from Gishubi Sector while three others are from Mamba.
“They were close to each other, no social distancing and only nine of them wore a facemask. They were fined for the violations, but were also enlightened on the pandemic, the way it’s transmitted or spread, national directives and health guidelines that must be followed,” the spokesperson said.
He thanked the residents, who reported the unlawful gathering and reminded the general public that Coronavirus is a serious and deadly virus spread by people due to their inappropriate behaviours and actions that are contrary to the directives and safety guidelines.
The statement released last night shows that new cases were found in Kigali 4, Rubavu 7, Nyamagabe 5, Gatsibo 4 and Musanze 1.
The latest figures bring the total number of COVID-19 cases to 5872 and 5872 recoveries. 428 are active cases while 47 have succumbed to the pandemic.
The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Rwanda on 14th March 2020.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are required to continue to comply with government regulations, especially with frequent washing of hands and water and soap, wearing masks when leaving home or in public.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US has topped 13 million, as experts warn that holiday gatherings will send that number soaring further.
The number of COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals across the United States reached 90,000 on Friday after nearly doubling in the last month.
The rate of hospitalizations – now at the highest since the pandemic began – has pushed some medical centers beyond capacity.
The rapid increase comes after weeks of rising infection rates across the country and sees the total number of infections since the pandemic began pushed beyond 13 million, with 264,000 deaths.
Currently, Americans are dying from the disease at a rate of around 65 an hour but the rates of infection are likely to worsen as people who mingled with friends and relatives over Thanksgiving gradually get sick, health experts say.
‘This is the reality we face when COVID-19 is allowed to spread unchecked – ICUs at capacity, not enough health care workers available,’ wrote New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in a tweet on Friday.
There were 880 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Friday in New Mexico. The state is under a lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus, with all non-essential businesses closed and residents told to stay home.
A hospital in rural Curry County was the latest to reach capacity in its intensive care unit earlier this week, according to the county’s Facebook page.
Many health experts and politicians pleaded with Americans to refrain from gathering for their traditional communal Thanksgiving feasts this year, warning that socializing between households would accelerate the rate of community transmission and push an already strained healthcare system to the brink.
Some abided by the public health guidance, spending their Thanksgiving on Thursday seeing their family over video calls. But others chose to travel anyway.
On the day before Thanksgiving, typically one of the busiest travel days of the year in the United States, more than 1.07 million people transited through U.S. airports – the most of any single day since the start of the pandemic, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Nearly 6 million Americans traveled by air from Friday to Wednesday, it said, a number that is however less than half that of the same period last year.
State governors have also urged Americans to stay home on Black Friday, a traditionally busy holiday shopping day, encouraging them instead to take advantage of online deals or curbside pick-ups.
‘Remember, skip the crowds and shop from home this Black Friday. Our local shops have curbside pickup options and need our support,’ Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear wrote in a tweet on Friday.
National Retail Federation CEO Matthew Shay on Friday said his lobbying group forecast a record high in holiday spending this year, even with many Americans struggling financially as the pandemic as hit the economy and jobs.
‘Consumers are out there,’ he told Fox Business Network in an interview. He said people had shifted spending from travel, entertainment and other experience-based consumption to home and other material goods.
In an effort to mitigate the winter COVID-19 wave, more than 20 states have issued new restrictions, including mask mandates and limiting capacity of bars, restaurants and houses of worship.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s restrictions on religious gatherings on Wednesday, voting 5-4 late in favor of requests by a Roman Catholic Diocese and two Orthodox Jewish congregations for an injunction to block the capacity restrictions from being enforced.
Cuomo dismissed the ruling as ‘irrelevant,’ saying it related to houses of worship in specific areas that were no longer considered at high risk. However, the ruling could have broader implications for houses of worship appealing capacity restrictions elsewhere.
Earlier this week, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the latest COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings in the nation’s capital also applied to indoor religious services, reducing capacity from 100 people to 50 people, with a maximum 50%.
It was not immediately clear if the curbs would be challenged following the Supreme Court ruling.
The resolutions to reopen some wellness centers were taken yesterday during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul at Urugwiro Village.
The bi-weekly meeting reviewed measures to contain spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. All existing measures and guidelines shall remain in force (including prohibition of movement from 10 PM – 4 AM) with the exception of some changes with immediate effect.
“Gyms and swimming pools shall resume operations upon assessment of compliance with COVID – 19 preventive measures. The relevant institutions will provide detailed guidelines. Live performances and cultural shows will resume gradually upon fulfillment of COVID – 19 preventive measures. The concerned institutions will provide detailed guidelines,” reads in part the statement.
Like other wellness facilities and a number of activities, the functioning of gyms was suspended on 15th March 2020 one day after confirming the first COVID-19 case in Rwanda.
On 8th June 2020, the Ministry of Sports gradually allowed different sporting activities to resume staring with cycling, Tennis, Gold, Hiking and other physical exercises respecting social distancing.
Other sports were allowed to resume on 13th July 2020. These include Cricket, Boxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Taekwondo, Judo, Skating, Kumasha, Badminton, Aerobic, Gymnastics in open air and adhering to COVID-19 health guidelines.
Concerts were also suspended on 8th March 2020 thus artists opted for online concerts to entertain fans.
Rwanda reports 5872 COVID-19 cases and 5872 recoveries since the first case was confirmed. 428 are active cases while 47 succumbed to the pandemic.
COVID-19 measures will be reviewed after 15 days upon a health assessment.
Citizens are reminded of the critical importance of complying with health measures including physical distancing, wearing face masks and hand hygiene.
Yoaz Hendel is in Rwanda since Thursday. He arrived in Kigali onboard Israir aircraft which landed in with 80 tourists from Israel.
Also present during the discussions were Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovations, Paul Ingabire and Israel ambassador in Rwanda, Ron Adam.
Before holding discussions with President Kagame, Hendel and Ingabire signed Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening collaboration in the areas of ICT and innovation to cement existing relationship.
The agreement will also pave the way for collaboration between business communities.
Rwanda and Israël relations date back in 1962 when the country obtained Independence.
In 2014, Rwanda became the first African country to sign bilateral agreements and later in 2015 opened embassy in Tel Aviv, Israël.
In January 2019, both countries signed bilateral air service agreement to operate direct flights.
In the same year, RwandAir started flights to Tel Aviv.
Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visited Rwanda in 2016.
The ruling has been read virtually today with minority presence of the Habumuremyi’s relatives as the convict was in Nyarugenge prison where he is detained.
The court also slapped him Rwf 892 million fine million while co-accused Charles Serushyana has been acquitted of signing on a cheque for an account which is not credited.
During the previous hearing held on 6th November, the prosecution requested Nyarugenge Intermediate Court to hand five-year sentence to Habumuremyi and slap him the fine of Rwf892.2 million for issuing a bounced cheque.
Concerning the other crime of breach of trust, prosecution requested imprisonment of three years and Rwf1 million fine for the suspect.
The former Prime Minister was arrested in July following the closure of the Christian University of Rwanda (CHUR) to which he was owner and legal representative.
The university management was also accused of not paying lecturers and other employees, which had prompted an audit from the Higher Education Council.
Before closure by the Ministry of Education, his university had campuses in Kigali and another one in Karongi District.
Alleged crimes were in connection to anomalies in the management of the university where he was said to have accumulated millions of francs in debts to different suppliers to his university. The university management was also accused of not paying lecturers and other employees.
Habumuremyi has been pleading not guilty of all charges against him at different hearings.
Habumuremyi appeared in Gasabo Primary Court for the first time in July 2020.
Habumuremyi served as Prime Minister of Rwanda from 7th October 2011 until 24th July 2014. Since 2015, Habumuremyi has served as the chairman of Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decoration of Honour prior to his arrest.
The list of individuals owing debts to the Government is released tri-monthly. The latest released in November reports Rwf11.719.858.881 debts from 2416 people.
Among them, 365 individuals falling under the category of bribery cases owe Rwf1, 282,536,757 to the Government.
The category of public funds misallocation includes 620 owing Rwf8, 205,240,678 to the Government with the majority comprising of public servants, cooperative managers among others.
Ten individuals who lost court cases in commercial courts owe Rwf 163,736,520 to the Government while Rwf 31,897,969 are to be recovered from 37 people defeated in administrative court cases.
Among others, 23 individuals fined in other special cases are to pay Rwf147,361,677 while 1360 convicted for trafficking and abuse owe Rwf 1,889,085,280 to the Government.
The Minister of Justice and State’s Attorney General, Busingye Johnston recently revealed that recovery systems are under updating process following an observation that some people are less concerned in clearing the debts.
During a recent press briefing, Busingye explained that people were reluctant to clear debts from lost court cases within the past five years thinking there is no ground for follow up.
“It took time to realize that it became a habit. We established a department to recover public funds in the Ministry, set guideline and started writing to people owing the money,” he said.
Busingye highlighted that people should be accountable and pay debts willingly.
“People wake up early to pay taxes to meet deadlines. No one calls them. We want to establish similar system,” he noted.
