Rwanda’s Investigation Bureau (RIB) has arrested Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority Director General Prof. Emile Bienvenu, alongside other officials, over allegations linked to the production and circulation of substandard alcoholic beverages.
RIB says officials from the Rwanda FDA, Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) and local government authorities are among those being investigated over alleged offences connected to alcoholic products that have had harmful effects on the public.
According to reports, 10 Rwanda FDA officials, including Bienvenu, were arrested alongside 18 other suspects. RIB says more than 100 people have so far been arrested in connection with the production and distribution of substandard alcoholic beverages.
The suspects remain under investigation, and their criminal responsibility will be determined through the judicial process.
The arrest of Rwanda FDA Director General Prof. Emile Bienvenu comes as authorities intensify a nationwide crackdown on illicit and substandard alcoholic beverages.
The crackdown has included the closure of alcohol manufacturing facilities, product recalls and tighter controls on alcohol production and ethanol imports. But the wider concern goes beyond unsafe products.
Rwanda is also confronting questions about harmful alcohol consumption, particularly among young people. The Rwanda National Police has previously described excessive alcohol consumption, especially among youth, as a pressing concern.
The consequences of unsafe alcohol have been severe. Health authorities reported that 44 people died in the first six months of 2026 after consuming unsafe alcoholic beverages, with toxic substances such as methanol linked to some illicit products
