Rwanda: Bayern Munich Academy Rwanda Saga - Coach, Sector Data Manager, Civil Status Register to Appear in Court

11 November 2023

The suspects involved in the controversy surrounding recruiting ineligible football prospects for the Bayern Munich Academy are scheduled to appear before the Kicukiro Primary Court on November 14 for a bail hearing.

The suspects include Leon Nisunzumuremyi, the football coach; Aristide Karorero, the data manager of Kinyinya sector, and Marie Rose Rugendoruhire, the civil status register.

The trio faces charges of solicitation, accepting illegal benefits, unauthorized access to a computer or computer system, unauthorized modification of computer or computer system data, and forgery.

The suspects' arrest follows an investigation conducted on the cases reported in the media suggesting that some children were unfairly disqualified from the Bayern Munich Academy Rwanda over age fixing.

A total of 43 football prospects were chosen on September 16 after an extensive nationwide talent search conducted by Rwanda's football governing body (FERWAFA) and the Ministry of Sports. However, 20 of them were later disqualified after it was discovered that, upon rechecking their ages, some children had manipulated their birthdates with the assistance of their parents.

Nisunzumuremyi is the coach of Cedric Iranzi and Joshua Muberwa, some of the children who auditioned to join the Bayern Munich Academy in Rwanda.

The duo claimed, in the media, that they were rejected yet they met the age criteria required to join the academy.

But findings from a thorough investigation RIB conducted on the case indicated that Iranzi and Muberwa were born in 2009 and 2007, respectively, as opposed to the documents presented during the auditions indicating that they were both born in 2011.

According to RIB Spokesperson Thierry Murangira, "investigations indicated that coach Nisunzumuremyi collaborated with Karorero to change the two young players' age in their identification documents so they could be eligible to join the academy."

It is alleged that Karorero received a Rwf 35,000 bribe to change their identification records.

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