‘How can Rwandan public institutions help a thief to ‘legally ‘steal money that belongs to Leaf Tobacco &Commodities a foreign company?.’ Defense Counsel ask court
Money to the tune of more than USD2.2M, stolen from Leaf Tobacco & Commodities (U) Ltd belonging to the late Rujugiro Ayabatwa Tribert et al could have blinded Rwandan justice system.
The company whose main business is tobacco and related materials like land and money from proceeds of tobacco and related products , has nothing to show in respects of minerals according to it’s memorandum of Articles of Association, yet , it’s accountant, one Kanobayire Thierry while at work in Uganda, wrongful and without permission diverted money to the tune of more than USD 2.2 M to purchase gold which turned out to be fake.
The appellate military high court in Kanombe heard Jan, 12, 2026 , on account of the alleged accomplice, Corporal Ngabonziza Ephraim, that his co-accused Rwasamanzi Emile used the proceeds of the stolen millions to buy plots of land and a house in Kicukiro worth Frw 86m, and enriching his Special Forces Corporal elder brother’s bank accounts, to the tune of Frw 40M. Corporal Ngabonziza is also accused of deserting the army, although he claims he was and is still sick and the army knew where he was all the time. He was and is still receiving treatment from Kanombe hospital – a military establishment – on account of multiple illnesses including tuberculosis , but also permanent paralysis and unspecified mental illness. He had asked court to allow him to sit down because his legs could not support him. Clearly his leg in low heeled sandal shook constantly. For a soldier formerly of Special Forces trained to endure and resist pain, his physical malaise was evident. He claims he sometimes also said his head was ‘getting hot.’ He is asking court to reduce his sentence if found guilty of desertion.
The alleged master-mind one Rwasamanzi Emile who solicited the fake gold deal and others at large, enticed Kanobayire Thierry in 2016, into buying the fake gold, leading him on a trail of false hope and samples of gold dust that led to Dubai through Nairobi .
Long story short, when Rwasamanzi returned to Rwanda in 2016 he had loads of cold cash in USD.
When police arrested him in Gisenyi in 2016 he had more than USD 200,000 in cash. But since police could not establish any crime purporting to that money being stolen or otherwise he was released,after which he then asked police to return his money.
The money being ‘too hot’ even for. Police, after prodding by lawyer representing the defendants, CID decided to deposit it at the central bank for safe keeping, according to a lawyer representing the defendants.
When Kanobayire Thierry entered the picture, he first claimed the money stolen belonged to Leaf Tobacco & Commodities (U) Limited partly owned by Rujugiro Ayabatwa Tribert, but later claimed it for himself.
It is not clear , how an accountant working for Rujugiro Tribert Ayabatwa, a sworn enemy of the State of Rwanda had infiltrated Rwanda’s justice system to recover the alleged stolen money. More so, it is even harder to understand why the State is not interested in arresting him in a case of cross border crime. But more importantly, why are they giving restitution to Kanobayire, a ‘thief’ himself who stole company money? What interest do the State institutions have in helping a malfaiteur, with close links to a State enemy? Kanobayire has also not come clean about the whereabout of 2M USD, the bulk of the money he claims was duped of.
Defendants counsel have argued that Rwandan public institutions have legally helped a ‘thief’ Kanobayire, to steal monies belonging to Leaf and Tobacco & Commodities (U) Limited. Even if their clients were found guilty, the proceeds should be confiscated by the State and not restituted (given back) to Kanobayire, they argued.
Rwasamanzi Emile and his half brother RDF Corporal Ngabo
Rwasamanzi Emile and his half brother RDF Corporal Ngabonziza present in court, and the sister Fatuma Manzi now on the run, are accused of laundering money from the ‘theft’ of the said monies, according to the military prosecutor. He told court that the three accused connived and laundered the stolen cash. An earlier court had found Rwasamanzi Emile of theft of money found on him for which he had served a 7-year sentence and many properties and cars sold off to pay Kanobayire. But on concluding his sentence, he was again picked up and dumped in a military cell on account of allegations of conspiracy and aiding and abetting money laundering together with two relatives.
Double jeopardy
Rwasamanzi has asked court to throw out the case, on account of it being double Jeopardy since the factual elements used to convict him in a civilian court are the same for the crimes whose sentence he had served. His lawyer Butare Godfrey et al have argued that their client should get respite from prosecution .
Rwasamanzi claimed his confession used to convict him was given under torture, by CID although he could not substantiate his claim. The military prosecutor on the other hand said the confession was instrumental in adducing critical evidence against both.
The panel of three military judges, all Lt. Colonels will deliver the verdict February, 6, 2026.
