Rwanda’s chief prosecutor has asked Ugandan authorities to arrest and extradite a prominent Chinese businessman wanted in Kigali on forgery and tax evasion charges.
Chen Chao, 38yrs, was named in an international warrant of arrest issued on September 22 by Aimable Havugiyaremye, head of Rwanda’s National Prosecution Authority and submitted to the authorities in Kampala where the businessman is currently living.
The court case in Rwanda arose from a contract worth more than $12 million (about Shs44.8 billion) King Faisal Hospital Limited issued to Power China International to build an out-patient department section at its facility in the capital, Kigali.
Power China International farmed out the contract to its subsidiary, Power China Guizhou Engineering, which also farmed it down to Chao’s Entec Technology Company Limited, which is registered in Kenya.
The company did not complete the work satisfactorily and reportedly abandoned the work site.
Uganda and Rwanda signed an extradition agreement in 2020 as part of efforts to thaw relations between the two countries that had led to Kigali closing its border.
Chao, who is said to enjoy close ties to government officials, is a prominent member of the Chinese business community in Uganda and the region.
