The prosecution on November 16 arraigned before Kicukiro Primary Court, three suspects accused of fixing the ages of children to secure their acceptance into the Bayern Munich Academy in Rwanda.
The suspects are Aristide Karorero, Data Manager of Kinyinya Sector, Leo Nisunzumuremyi, a football coach, and Marie Rose Rugendoruhire, a civil registrar in Gahanga sector, who are facing multiple charges including solicitation, accepting illegal benefits, unauthorized access to a computer system, unauthorized modification of data, and forgery.
The allegations center around the suspected alteration of birth records to enable the enrolment of three children into the academy.
According to the prosecution, two children were re-registered in Kinyanya sector in September 2023, with their birth years changed from 2007 to 2011, facilitating their eligibility for the 12-13 age category at the academy.
The prosecution presented evidence suggesting involvement between Karorero and Nisunzumuremyi, indicating financial transactions on Mobile Money and the modification of registration records.
Karorero allegedly accepted bribes from Nisunzumuremyi to facilitate the registration changes, as evidenced by financial exchanges and differences in registration documents among other reports.
Regarding Rugendoruhire, the prosecution pointed out that she facilitated the registration of a third child by modifying previous identification records from 2007 to 2011.
In their defense, the defendants pleaded not guilty. Karorero disclaimed responsibility for registration procedures and bribery allegations, arguing that his role does not include such actions and that any issue should be treated as a civil, not criminal, matter.
Rugendoruhire, too, denied involvement in any crime, stating that she registered the child like any other without knowledge of his connection to a football selection process adding that the child in question is different from one in the academy highlighting differences in the registration details such as parents' names and date of birth as evidence of her lack of involvement.
The trio requested bail and the court will deliver its ruling on November 22.
