The Nyarugenge Intermediate Court has ordered the provisional detention of Gisèle Umuhumuza, the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and former head of the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC), for a period of 30 days.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, also applies to Dominique Murekezi, with whom she is co-accused. Both face charges related to corruption and abuse of authority.
According to the prosecution, Umuhumuza is accused of exploiting her position for personal gain, making decisions based on favoritism, animosity, or bias, and misusing public resources.
The indictment highlights irregularities in 28 staff appointments at WASAC, involving 45 individuals allegedly hired in violation of regulations governing public sector recruitment, particularly those outlined in 2018.
Among the cases cited are 22 graduates from INES Ruhengeri and the University of Rwanda who were reportedly recruited without undergoing the required competitive examinations.
The court agreed with prosecutors that the suspects should remain in custody to prevent any interference with ongoing investigations.
The case bears striking similarities to another high-profile corruption investigation involving Prof. Omar Munyaneza and several others, who were arrested in early August on related charges.
