The Ombudsman says it referred 46 cases of individuals suspected of failing to explain the source of their wealth to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) in 2025, underscoring the government’s continued focus on fighting corruption and illicit enrichment.
Ombudsman Madeleine Nirere announced the figures on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, during the official launch of Anti-Corruption Week in the judiciary.
The Ombudsman said failure to justify the origin of one’s wealth is classified as a corruption offense under Rwandan law. “Unexplained wealth is one of the 12 corruption-related offenses,” she said. “When a person owns assets that exceed their legitimate income and cannot explain their source, that constitutes corruption.”
She said some of the files forwarded by RIB to the National Public Prosecution Authority were initially submitted by the Office of the Ombudsman after preliminary review and analysis.
Under a 2021 law, the Office of the Ombudsman is mandated to receive reports related to corruption, assess their credibility and refer cases with sufficient evidence to RIB for further investigation.
Authorities said suspects accused of illicit enrichment are required to provide proof of lawful income, including employment contracts, bank statements, inheritance records, gifts, business revenues or other legitimate sources. If investigators determine that the explanations are inadequate or inconsistent with the facts, the case is transferred to the prosecution.
If convicted, offenders may face confiscation of assets by the state, prison sentences or fines. Public officials found guilty may also be dismissed from their positions.
Nirere also highlighted Rwanda’s performance in global anti-corruption rankings, saying the country placed 43rd out of 180 countries assessed, with a score of 57 points. She said Rwanda ranked first in the East African Community and third across Africa.
She added that Rwanda’s long-term ambition is to become the world’s leading country in combating corruption by 2050, stressing that strong institutions, transparency and accountability within the justice system are key to achieving that goal.
