Kigali, Rwanda – Rwandan law enforcement has stepped in to address a complaint that spilled onto social media after a citizen publicly tagged multiple state institutions, including the Office of the President, alleging fraud and abuse of influence in a long-running land dispute.
The intervention by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) came as authorities sought to shift the matter from online exchanges to formal investigative channels.
The complainant, identified as Eric Uwitonze, used his social media platforms to petition government institutions over what he described as the unlawful appropriation of family land through forged documents.
In his public message, Uwitonze accused an individual named Maurice Ngabonziza, whom he described as a documentarist working at Rwanda’s Parliament, of producing four forged powers of attorney with the assistance of a notary.
According to the complaint, documents were allegedly issued in Uwitonze’s name using a forged signature, enabling the transfer of family plots of land that included residential houses.
Uwitonze argued that the alleged actions constitute serious criminal offences under Rwandan law and questioned why, despite the gravity of the claims, no visible accountability measures had been taken.
His concerns were echoed in a social media posts addressed to the Minister of Justice, in which he requested clarification on whether the matter was under review and what steps were being taken to ensure that the law was applied equally.
He noted that several months had passed without apparent progress, a delay he said risked creating the perception that some individuals may be beyond the reach of justice.
As the posts gained attention online, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau responded directly, signaling official engagement with the complaint. MURANGIRA B. Thierry, the spokesperson of the RIB, publicly addressed Uwitonze on his own social media handle.
“Hi Eric, please text me inbox indicating where you submitted your complaint,” a response that marked the first intervention by law enforcement in the online exchange.
While the bureau did not comment on the substance of the allegations at that stage, its outreach indicated readiness to trace the complaint within official systems and ensure it is handled through due process.
