The immense wealth left behind by one of Rwanda’s renowned businessmen, Vedaste Rubangura, has sowed conflict in his family with some of his children and a widow accusing each other of trying to cheat them out of their inheritance.

Children of the businessman, who passed away in 2007, accuse one of his widows, Immaculate Kayitesi, of staking their father’s wealth to acquire a huge loan from Cogebanque and Fina Bank, which has since been bought by Guaranty Trust Bank.

The case is before the Commercial Court.

Worth billions of francs

The Rubangura estate, which includes a renowned commercial building in the city centre and a steel factory valued at billions of francs, is currently at the centre of a court battle which will resume on February 20 at the Commercial Court in Nyamirambo.

Denis Rubangura, the eldest of the late tycoon’s 10 children, took Ms Kayitesi to court, accusing her of forging documents to acquire a loan of more than Rwf1 billion from the two banks using their father’s commercial properties which, according to the will, he left to his children.

The court heard last week that Mr Rubangura left his two wives residential houses while his other properties he gave to the children.

However, the children now allege that Ms Kayitesi, Rubangura’s legal wife, fraudulently changed UPROTUR Ltd, their father’s original line of companies, to UPROTUR Group Ltd with the objective of obtaining loans from banks.

According to court documents seen by Rwanda Today, Denis Rubangura and his siblings also sued the two banks for colluding with their step-mother in the “fraud.”

When contacted, Denis Rubangura said he would not comment on a case that is in court but a copy of the court statement seen by Rwanda Today quotes the deceased businessman’s will indicating that all his fortune would not be touched until his children were “old enough to agree on how to share it.”

The case, which opened on January 3, has been characterised by drama with the court ruling to throw out Janvier Rwagatare, the lawyer defending Rubangura’s interests, after the children accused him of taking sides.

Mr Rwagatare is the legal representative of the Rubangura family but the children became suspicious after the advocate seemed to switch to Ms Kayitesi’s side. They lodged a complaint and the court recently ruled that Mr Rwagatare abandons the case for impartiality.

Lawyer switched sides

“From today, Lawyer Rwagatare will not appear in court on the case Rubangura Children versus Kayitesi after failing to prove that he is defending the legal interests of Rubangura’s children to which he is the attorney,” the panel of judges ruled.

Denis Rubangura told the court that Mr Rwagatare could no longer be trusted with the power of attorney for their father’s estate as he had been corrupted by Ms Kayitesi.

The widow has been in and out of court battling charges from the different parties linked to her late husband.

In 2012, a woman identified as Cecile Umugiraneza dragged Ms Kayitesi to court for refusing to support her two daughters, whom Rubangura sired.

The Gasabo Intermediate Court ruled that Kelly Uwase Rubangura and Shirleen Teta Rubangura be supported from the benefits accrued from their father’s wealth. Kayitesi appealed the decision but it was upheld by the High Court.

The siblings accuse the step mother of taking over their father’s empire by registering a new company under the names UPROTUR Group Ltd, which took over management of the properties without the knowledge of the children.

Ms Kayitesi, on the other hand says that her late husband left his businesses and properties under her guardianship until the children are fully grown to take over.

The widow of the wealthy businessman has been in and out of court battling charges from the different parties linked to her late husband.