Kigali — Law enforcement agencies seat idly as CÅ"ur Joyeux steals money from hundreds of helpless orphans

Hundreds of orphans have been duped out of between 25 and 50 million francs by a small NGO operating in Kimironko just opposite of the Kigali Institute of Education.

Hundreds of orphans have been duped out of between 25 and 50 million francs by a small NGO operating in Kimironko just opposite of the Kigali Institute of Education. Coeur Joyeux (Joyful Heart) operates under the supervision of its director, Janvier Batungwanayo, its Pastor Emmanuel Rugwana, and Assistant Administrator Justin Bisengimana. Batungwanayo and his organization have been accused by as many as 300 hundred orphans of taking their money, canceling the program for which they paid to participate then refusing to give any refunds. The church Pastor also pressured at least several of the youth to give him additional cash bribes on the side which he called "punishments". It is not yet known if Justin Bisengimana is directly involved in stealing money from the orphans himself, but what is known is that he helped to conceal the facts of this case form authorities and C J sponsors for almost one year. In Rwanda, of all places, one would think that compassion for orphans would be universal. But Felix Hategekimana and dozens of his peers would beg to differ. In October of 2008, Felix was persuaded by Batungwanayo and Pastor Rugwana that if he paid them Frw 400,000, the organization, Coeur Joyeux, would connect him with an overseas sponsor to pay for his tuition at a private university here in Kigali. Felix, a humble orphan of the Genocide, was living with his uncle at the time. He and his brothers sold the small patch of land that their parents had left behind and his uncle contributed what funds he could as well. Felix's young sister was told she would have to drop out of secondary school so the family could support Felix in pursuing this wonderful opportunity. Now, more than a year later, the boy has received nothing from Coeur Joyeux but empty promises, lies and even threats. His family has rejected him for losing their money. Talk to the orphans of Coeur Joyeux on any given day and you'll find this story repeats itself over and over again in one of the worst cases of wrongdoing against orphans of Rwanda in recent memory. The victims have been piling up since Coeur Joyeux began running its "pay to play" sponsorship scheme whereby potential students were asked to pay an average of Frw 300,000 Rwandan Francs each in exchange for a promise of sponsored tuition. Their work in Kigali is well known among tertiary-level students in need of financial aid, but until very recently, it was not widely known that Coeur Joyeux was running a scam. While a few lucky - and well connected - C J beneficiaries have received some tuition assistance, the bulk of the youths who gave C J their money have received nothing but grief. Now Coeur Joyeux claims that their organization is in financial distress, the orphan's money has disappeared and C J has canceled the sponsorship program. Meanwhile, the director of Coeur Joyeux, Janvier Batungwanayo has gotten rich and owns three houses in Kigali, plus several cars and other properties. The orphans are entitled to a refund of their money, but as of yet no one has received a single franc. These days the youth stand in droves outside Coeur Joyeux waiting, hoping, praying and even begging for the smallest bit of justice. Prosecutor saves suspect scammer from arrest On 15 last month Batungwanayo was arrested for writing a bad check to at least one of the orphans for their refund. Police took him in but the prosecutor, Christine Kayirebwa, decided that the crime is not worthy of action on her part and Batungwanayo would be released shortly thereafter. On that same day, several of the Coeur Joyeux Orphans filed an official complaint at the Remera Police Station. They gave evidence of 81 different orphans who have been scammed and at least 25 million Rwandan francs stolen. Police sources say they wanted to arrest Batungwanayo on these more serious charges but that, for reasons unknown, the prosecutor Ms. Kayirebwa, intervened. She came to the police station and met in private with the orphans who were in the midst filing their new, very serious complaint. She told them - despite their protests - that Batungwanayo had to be released and that he would surely pay the orphans back. A month after his release, not a franc has been repaid and the prosecution remains stalled. It is still not clear why Kayirebwa advocated for the man she is obliged to indict. When first asked, police in Remera said they had not heard of the case. That is until this reporter helped them to find the report which was sitting right on top of one of the commander's desks. Remera Police Station attempted to defer question about the case to prosecutor who stated that, nearly a month after it was filed and she visited the police station to discuss it she has not received a copy of the report from police. Kayirebwa also claimed she was not familiar with the case. When questioned the police have been cordial, but some have at times gone as far as to defend Batungwanayo who is now attempting to claim that it is the more than 250 orphans who are lying. Foreign NGO fails to take responsibility for wrongs Coeur Joyeux has worked closely with at least one partner form the USA and the UK, Network for Africa (N4A). For its part, N4A has funded Coeur Joyeux's operating costs for the past year as well as donated to other projects. Unfortunately, this foreign-based NGO did so without checking to see where their money was going and if it was doing more harm than good. When asked about the case N4A donor and fund raiser Betsy Kain said that she and N4A were "not involved in this mess and did not plan to get involved." N4A founder Rebecca Tinsley referred questions to Ms. Kain saying only that this was a "local" problem and that "local problems should have local solutions." N4A has refused to take any responsibility despite that fact that their organization continues to fund an ongoing, possibly criminal activity in Rwanda. It is now apparent N4A's actions and work in this circumstance is unskillful at best and at worst amounts to criminal negligence. Spt. Theofile Sibomana of the Police says he is now under orders to continue the investigation. He says he will collect a statement from Batungwanayo but has stopped short of promising an arrest. The police have also now asked for assistance from The Rwanda Focus in their investigation. Police documents on this case are incomplete. They have 81 students on their rosters but it is known that the Coeur Joyeux victims now number in the hundreds and The Rwanda Focus has begun documenting those who are not accounted for in police records. Paul Musabyimana, yet another of the orphan victims in this case, had this to say: "The problem is not only the money we had to pay to Coeur Joyeux staff but our situation as a whole. "Our relatives and adopted parents feel that we have absconded with money they gave us with great difficulty. We also wonder about our future now." Some of the orphans have begun our studies on their own but cannot continue. They wonder what their future will be. It is not clear if Network for Africa will ever take responsibility for their culpability in these events or do anything to assist the orphans whom they have helped to harm. At the time of going to print they had no comment. Caption: CJ Director Janvier Batungwanayo (photo Steve Terrill)

CÅ"ur Joyeux (Joyful Heart) operates under the supervision of its director, Janvier Batungwanayo, its Pastor Emmanuel Rugwana, and Assistant Administrator Justin Bisengimana. Batungwanayo and his organization have been accused by as many as 300 hundred orphans of taking their money, canceling the program for which they paid to participate then refusing to give any refunds. The church Pastor also pressured at least several of the youth to give him additional cash bribes on the side which he called "punishments".

It is not yet known if Justin Bisengimana is directly involved in stealing money from the orphans himself, but what is known is that he helped to conceal the facts of this case form authorities and C J sponsors for almost one year.

In Rwanda, of all places, one would think that compassion for orphans would be universal. But Felix Hategekimana and dozens of his peers would beg to differ. In October of 2008, Felix was persuaded by Batungwanayo and Pastor Rugwana that if he paid them Frw 400,000, the organization, CÅ"ur Joyeux, would connect him with an overseas sponsor to pay for his tuition at a private university here in Kigali.

Felix, a humble orphan of the Genocide, was living with his uncle at the time. He and his brothers sold the small patch of land that their parents had left behind and his uncle contributed what funds he could as well. Felix's young sister was told she would have to drop out of secondary school so the family could support Felix in pursuing this wonderful opportunity.

Now, more than a year later, the boy has received nothing from CÅ"ur Joyeux but empty promises, lies and even threats. His family has rejected him for losing their money. Talk to the orphans of CÅ"ur Joyeux on any given day and you'll find this story repeats itself over and over again in one of the worst cases of wrongdoing against orphans of Rwanda in recent memory.

The victims have been piling up since CÅ"ur Joyeux began running its "pay to play" sponsorship scheme whereby potential students were asked to pay an average of Frw 300,000 Rwandan Francs each in exchange for a promise of sponsored tuition. Their work in Kigali is well known among tertiary-level students in need of financial aid, but until very recently, it was not widely known that CÅ"ur Joyeux was running a scam.

While a few lucky - and well connected - C J beneficiaries have received some tuition assistance, the bulk of the youths who gave C J their money have received nothing but grief.

Now CÅ"ur Joyeux claims that their organization is in financial distress, the orphan's money has disappeared and C J has canceled the sponsorship program. Meanwhile, the director of CÅ"ur Joyeux, Janvier Batungwanayo has gotten rich and owns three houses in Kigali, plus several cars and other properties.

The orphans are entitled to a refund of their money, but as of yet no one has received a single franc.

These days the youth stand in droves outside CÅ"ur Joyeux waiting, hoping, praying and even begging for the smallest bit of justice.

Prosecutor saves suspect scammer from arrest

On 15 last month Batungwanayo was arrested for writing a bad check to at least one of the orphans for their refund. Police took him in but the prosecutor, Christine Kayirebwa, decided that the crime is not worthy of action on her part and Batungwanayo would be released shortly thereafter.

On that same day, several of the CÅ"ur Joyeux Orphans filed an official complaint at the Remera Police Station. They gave evidence of 81 different orphans who have been scammed and at least 25 million Rwandan francs stolen.

Police sources say they wanted to arrest Batungwanayo on these more serious charges but that, for reasons unknown, the prosecutor Ms. Kayirebwa, intervened. She came to the police station and met in private with the orphans who were in the midst filing their new, very serious complaint. She told them - despite their protests - that Batungwanayo had to be released and that he would surely pay the orphans back.

A month after his release, not a franc has been repaid and the prosecution remains stalled. It is still not clear why Kayirebwa advocated for the man she is obliged to indict.

When first asked, police in Remera said they had not heard of the case. That is until this reporter helped them to find the report which was sitting right on top of one of the commander's desks. Remera Police Station attempted to defer question about the case to prosecutor who stated that, nearly a month after it was filed and she visited the police station to discuss it she has not received a copy of the report from police. Kayirebwa also claimed she was not familiar with the case.

When questioned the police have been cordial, but some have at times gone as far as to defend Batungwanayo who is now attempting to claim that it is the more than 250 orphans who are lying.

Foreign NGO fails to take responsibility for wrongs

CÅ"ur Joyeux has worked closely with at least one partner form the USA and the UK, Network for Africa (N4A). For its part, N4A has funded CÅ"ur Joyeux's operating costs for the past year as well as donated to other projects.

Unfortunately, this foreign-based NGO did so without checking to see where their money was going and if it was doing more harm than good. When asked about the case N4A donor and fund raiser Betsy Kain said that she and N4A were "not involved in this mess and did not plan to get involved."

N4A founder Rebecca Tinsley referred questions to Ms. Kain saying only that this was a "local" problem and that "local problems should have local solutions."

N4A has refused to take any responsibility despite that fact that their organization continues to fund an ongoing, possibly criminal activity in Rwanda.

It is now apparent N4A's actions and work in this circumstance is unskillful at best and at worst amounts to criminal negligence.

Spt. Theofile Sibomana of the Police says he is now under orders to continue the investigation. He says he will collect a statement from Batungwanayo but has stopped short of promising an arrest. The police have also now asked for assistance from The Rwanda Focus in their investigation.

Police documents on this case are incomplete. They have 81 students on their rosters but it is known that the CÅ"ur Joyeux victims now number in the hundreds and The Rwanda Focus has begun documenting those who are not accounted for in police records.

Paul Musabyimana, yet another of the orphan victims in this case, had this to say:

"The problem is not only the money we had to pay to CÅ"ur Joyeux staff but our situation as a whole.

"Our relatives and adopted parents feel that we have absconded with money they gave us with great difficulty. We also wonder about our future now."

Some of the orphans have begun our studies on their own but cannot continue. They wonder what their future will be.

It is not clear if Network for Africa will ever take responsibility for their culpability in these events or do anything to assist the orphans whom they have helped to harm. At the time of going to print they had no comment.