Former Rwandan Youth Minister Edouard Bamporiki jailed 5 years for corruption

KIGALI-(MaraviPost)-A high court in Rwanda has sentenced a former youth and culture minister to five years in prison over corruption charges, extending a previous sentence by a year.

The original sentence, which came last year, against Edouard Bamporiki was a rare case of a top official convicted over corruption in the country.

He was suspended from cabinet last May and put under house arrest while being investigated for corruption and misuse of power.

He remained under house arrest until this ruling.

Bamporiki confessed to the charges on Twitter and asked President Paul Kagame for forgiveness, but in September a court sentenced him to four years – which he appealed.

On Monday, a high court judge in the capital, Kigali, said “justice needs to be served to set an example”.

The 39-year-old poet and filmmaker was previously a vigorous supporter of President Kagame and the ruling party and rose rapidly through the ranks.

His lawyer, Evode Kayitana, told the BBC that they had not decided on whether to appeal.

Source: BBC

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.