Under the agreement, Shema admitted to two offences: issuing a cheque without sufficient funds and fraudulently obtaining another person’s property.

The agreement was reached under Article 26 of Law Nº027/2019 of September 19, 2019, on criminal procedure, as well as Articles 5 and 9 of the Prosecutor General’s Guidelines Nº6/2022 of July 19, 2022, on plea agreements.

Shema admitted to the offences after reaching an agreement with the prosecution on September 15, 2026.

He admitted to issuing a cheque without sufficient funds, an offence provided for under Article 126 of Law Nº060/2021 of October 14, 2021, governing negotiable instruments.

He also admitted to fraudulently obtaining another person’s property, an offence provided for under Article 174 of Law Nº68/2018 of August 30, 2018, determining offences and penalties in general.

How the case started

The prosecution said the case stemmed from a business transaction between ABZL International General Trading LLC, a company based in the United Arab Emirates and represented by Jesse Harry Ndambala, and Africa Medical Supplier, represented by Shema.

The two companies entered into an agreement on January 23, 2024, for the purchase of medical equipment worth €1,092,736.

On October 3, 2025, ABZL International General Trading LLC, through lawyer Gahizi Safari, filed a complaint against Africa Medical Supplier and Shema, accusing them of issuing two bounced cheques and fraudulently obtaining its property.

According to the prosecution, Shema repeatedly delayed payment despite being contacted by the company. He responded by email, promising to settle the debt, before issuing two cheques drawn on I&M Bank.

One cheque was for $400,000 and the other for $200,000. The company alleged that the cheques had been incorrectly written in a way intended to prevent the bank from processing them.

When the investigation began, Shema denied the offences. He has since admitted that there was not enough money in his account when he issued the cheques.

He told investigators that he intended to deposit funds from accounts he held in other banks. He also said the cheques were cancelled by the bank before they could be presented for payment and that he has since resolved the dispute by paying the company.

Terms of the plea agreement

Under the agreement, the prosecution will ask the court to convict Shema of issuing a cheque without sufficient funds and fraudulently obtaining another person’s property.

The prosecution will also ask the court to impose a six-month prison sentence suspended for one year and a fine of Rwf3 million.

ABZL International General Trading LLC did not participate in the plea agreement because the payment dispute had already been resolved and the company had been paid.

The agreement applies only to the prosecution of the two offences covered by it.

It does not affect the right of any person to bring civil, commercial, labour or administrative proceedings, nor does it affect any other decisions that may be taken by other authorities.

The parties agreed that if the court rejects the agreement, it will have no legal effect and the prosecution will continue as though the agreement had not been made.

The prosecution also agreed that information provided by Shema during the plea-bargaining process cannot be used for any purpose other than those related to the agreement.

Until the agreement is approved by the court, either party may withdraw from it in writing, provided the reasons are explained to the other party.

The agreement was signed on September 21, 2026, by Shema, his lawyers Rutagengwa Jean Damascène, Me Sangano Yves and Me Niyomugabo Christophe, and prosecutor Tuyisenge Vestine.

What happens next?

Shema is expected to appear before court on September 23, 2026.

His lawyers had notified the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on September 17 that they were not ready to proceed with the appeal concerning his detention and provisional release because of the agreement reached with the prosecution, which had not yet been presented to the court.