She made the revelation on March 14, 2025, during a consultative meeting held at Parliament, where she emphasized the growing prevalence of corruption and the need for stricter measures to combat it.
"Both those who offer bribes and those who request them are punished equally. Furthermore, corruption crimes have no statute of limitations. This legal milestone ensures that whenever evidence emerges or new information surfaces, individuals can be investigated and held accountable for their actions," Habyarimana stated.
She highlighted the challenge of gathering evidence in corruption cases, explaining that both bribe-givers and recipients often change their tactics to evade detection.
Another major obstacle she pointed out was the difficulty in recovering assets acquired through corruption, as many perpetrators register their property under other people's names to avoid confiscation.
According to Habyarimana, effective case follow-up and improved cooperation between institutions are crucial in obtaining sufficient evidence and successfully prosecuting corruption cases.
Over the past five years, the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) has handled 6,111 cases involving more than 11,000 individuals linked to corruption offenses.
In 2019 alone, the NPPA received 1,240 corruption-related cases involving 2,925 individuals. Of these, 757 cases were taken to court, while 363 were closed.
During the 2020-2021 period, 1,224 cases were registered, implicating 2,191 individuals. Among them, 751 were forwarded to the courts, 455 were closed, and 18 remained under investigation.
For the 2021-2022 period, the prosecution received 1,199 cases involving 2,195 individuals. Of these, 598 were filed in court, 502 were closed, and 99 cases were still under review.
In 2022-2023, the number of cases increased to 1,378, involving 2,610 people. The NPPA took 616 cases to court, closed 632, and continued investigating 130 cases.
However, during the 2023-2024 period, the number of corruption-related cases decreased, with 1,070 cases involving 1,937 individuals being registered. Among these, 474 were presented in court, 467 were closed, and 130 remained under investigation.
Habyarimana explained that cases may be closed for various reasons, including resolving disputes through alternative means, recovering misappropriated funds, or insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution. She also reported that the NPPA has achieved a conviction rate of 76.5% in corruption-related cases brought to court.
"Each year, we observe an increase in the conviction rate. Overall, the NPPA's success rate in all criminal cases exceeds 90%, but for corruption-related offenses, which significantly undermine the country's economy, our rate remains slightly lower despite the progress being made," she noted.
Habyarimana also highlighted several challenges hindering the fight against corruption. These include the use of advanced technology to conceal illicit activities, limited technical knowledge in detecting corruption, fear of reporting incidents, and the deliberate concealment of information by those with vested interests.
However, she assured that the NPPA is strengthening cooperation with other institutions to enhance the capacity of prosecutors and investigators.
The Prosecutor General further revealed that within the past five years, 13 NPPA staff members were suspected of engaging in corruption. Of these, 10 were prosecuted, two are still under investigation, and three were dismissed from their positions due to conduct linked to corruption.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Habyarimana reaffirmed the NPPA's commitment to tackling corruption and enhancing transparency.
She emphasized the importance of continuous collaboration among institutions and called for increased public engagement in reporting and preventing corruption to ensure a just and accountable society.
IGIHE
