Seven people are on trial at Nyarugenge Intermediate Court in connection with the alleged theft of $260,189 from BPR Bank Rwanda through unauthorised use of electronic payment systems. The defendants include Manirakiza Obed, a former IT employee at the bank; Uwitonze Jean Paul, founder of Nyungwe Sideview Hotel; Bikorimana Innocent, a mining company owner; and four others. The charges include fraud, misuse of computer systems, identity fraud and money laundering.
The case began after BPR customers reported unauthorised withdrawals from their accounts using stolen bank card details. The bank investigated and reported the matter to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau. Prosecutors allege that Manirakiza used his position to move customers from a secure three-dimensional payment authentication system to a less secure two-dimensional system, which allowed card details to be used for payments with weaker verification. He allegedly gave other defendants access to CyberSource, a platform for processing electronic payments.
The defendants dispute the allegations. Manirakiza said his actions were part of his job responsibilities. Uwitonze disputed money laundering charges and said his transactions were covered by bank agreements. Bikorimana said his business dealings with BPR were legitimate and that he had approached the bank after realising he received money that did not belong to him. The bank suspended the affected cards in October 2025 after discovering the problem, with fraudulent transactions dating back to August 2025.
Prosecutors have requested 10-year prison sentences for each defendant and fines ranging from Rwf2 million to more than $380,000. BPR Bank Rwanda is seeking $287,760 in compensation from the defendants. The court will deliver its judgment on December 11, 2026.