Rwanda Bishop Remains Incarcerated on Corruption Charges

Archbishop Mbanda Corrects Anglican Ink Report on Trial Outcome

By David W. Virtue, DD

www.virtueonline.org

January 8, 2026

The Archbishop of Rwanda, the Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda, has clarified that a bishop previously reported as acquitted of corruption charges remains incarcerated and is serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence.

The archbishop's statement corrects a report by Anglican Ink claiming that the Rt. Rev. Samuel Mugiraneza Mugisha had been found not guilty of corruption charges by a Rwandan court and released from prison.

"Based on information available through appropriate channels, the former Bishop of Shyira, Rt. Rev. Samuel Mugiraneza Mugisha, has not been acquitted and has not been released from custody," Archbishop Mbanda stated. "He remains incarcerated and is currently serving a sentence of three and a half years following determinations made by the competent courts."

The archbishop further clarified that the Anglican Church of Rwanda is not a party to the criminal proceedings referenced in the article. "Any diocesan-related matters identified through the forensic audit are being addressed by the appropriate leadership structures in accordance with established accountability processes," he said.

Archbishop Mbanda cautioned against "reliance on partial narratives promoted by interested individuals, which may not fully or accurately reflect the legal or ecclesiastical realities of the matter." He requested that the Anglican Ink article be corrected or clarified accordingly.

Pattern of Disputed Reports

This is not the first time Anglican Ink reporter George Conger has faced accusations of inaccurate reporting. Bishops in the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces & Chaplaincy (JAFC) previously accused the blogger of "publishing numerous untruthful stories about Bishop [Derek] Jones and the JAFC/SJAFC."

The JAFC communications team disputed an Anglican Ink article titled "SC FEDERAL COURT HANDS JONES A LOSS IN HIS BATTLE WITH THE ACNA," stating that "the reporter, George Conger, misstated facts and proposed conclusions that defy reality."

Anglican Ink had claimed that the Federal District Court for the District of South Carolina rejected the bulk of JAFC's claims for an injunction or temporary restraining order against the Anglican Church in North America. However, according to JAFC, this characterization was inaccurate.

Further details are available at: https://www.virtueonline.org/post/anglican-ink-accused-of-misstating-facts-and-conclusions-in-jafc-vs-acna-imbroglio