Rwanda National Police

Police in Burera District is holding three workers of Ruhombo health centre in connection with theft of nutritional supplements locally known as Shisha Kibondo meant for children from vulnerable families.

The highly nutritious porridge is a blend of maize, soya, milk powder, sugar, vitamins and minerals, is also meant for the disadvantaged expecting mothers and those breastfeeding.

The dietary supplement flour is supplied freely by the government as part of the efforts to fight malnutrition in children.

Those arrested include the health centre laboratory assistant, an accountant and one in charge of social affairs at the health centres.

They are said to have connived and stole the flour from the stores at the health centre.

The police spokesperson for the Northern region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdum Twizeyimana said that there were reports that the dietary products were being stolen from the stores at the health centre.

 “As part of the investigations, the three workers were caught red-handed with varied quantities of Shisha Kibondo,” CIP Twizeyimana said.

“Right now, the exact quantity of what was stolen from the stores is not yet known but an audit is being conducted to know what was illegally taken from the stores to facilitate ongoing investigations,” he said.

According to CIP Twizeyimana, the trio had used ghost names of beneficiaries to allocate themselves the shares.

“The act amounts to theft, counterfeit and embezzlement of public goods,” the spokesperson said.

Theft is punishable under article 300 of the penal code with a sentence of up to two years, if convicted, while forgery under article 609 attracts a sentence of between five and seven years and a fine ranging between Rwf300, 000 to Rwf3 million.

On the other hand, embezzlement, under article 325, attracts an imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine of two to five times the value of the embezzled or destroyed property.