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Rwanda arrests four officers, alleges DRC ties

by Reuters
Thursday, 19 January 2012 10:52 GMT

(Corrects ranks of arrested officers in Jan. 18 story)

* Accused of being involved in DRC business deals

* Among most high profile military arrests since 2010

KIGALI, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Rwanda has arrested three military generals and a colonel, accusing them of illegal business dealings across the border in the mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo, an army spokesman said on Wednesday.

"They are under investigation for acts of indiscipline with respect to getting involved with civilians in business dealings in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Colonel Joseph Nzabamwita, a spokesman for the Rwanda Defence Force told Reuters.

"They have been suspended from duty and placed under house arrest," he said.

A diplomat said the detentions might be linked to the publication of a U.N. report last month on illegal smuggling of minerals between Congo and Rwanda using illegal border crossings.

Nzabamwita named the four officers as Fred Ibingira, Richard Rutatina, Wilson Gumisiriza and Dan Munyuza.

These are among the most high profile military arrests since two generals were arrested for corruption and misconduct in April, 2010. Other top brass and officials have fled into exile after falling out with President Paul Kagame.

The U.N. report said Rwanda's recorded level of domestic production of tin, tungsten and tantalum ores was higher than industry analysts believed actual production to be, suggesting material from Congo was being smuggled into Rwanda and then labeled as Rwandan. (Reporting by Graham Holliday; Writing by Richard Lough)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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