Rwanda National Police

Police in Nyamagabe District, on Monday July 13, arrested four people for allegedly killing an Antelope in the gazetted Nyungwe National Park and attempting to bribe Police officers so as to prevent any legal actions.

Nyamagabe District Police Commander (DPC), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaston Karagire said that Police first arrested two poachers; Faustin Nsengumuremyi, 21, and Vincent Sinamenye, 18, after killing an Antelope in Nyungwe National Park.

“Following the information from park rangers about suspected poachers, who had entered into the park, we organized a joint operation, arrested Nsengumuremyi and Sinamenye in Buruhukiro Sector after killing an Antelope. They had tools including two machetes and 40 pitfalls which they were using,” said SSP Karagire.

“Later, two other men; Patrice Nsekanabo, 46, and Sylvestre Ndorimana, 42, showed up with Rwf150,000, which they offered to Police officers to release Nsengumuremyi and Sinamenye, they were also arrested for attempted bribery,” he added.

The four men are all residents of Buruhukiro Sector in Kizimyamuriro Cell.

The DPC warned against poaching and corruption saying that both are “serious crimes” punishable by the law. 

“We advise the public to avoid anything that would tempt them into either offering or receiving bribes, and encourage sharing of information on those involved to ensure that they are arrested to face the law.”

According to article 4 of the Law on Fighting Against Corruption, any person who offers, solicits, accepts or receives, by any means, an illegal benefit for himself/herself or another person in order to render or omit a service under his or her mandate, commits an offense.

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of more than five years but not more than seven years, with a fine of three to five times the value of the illegal benefit solicited or received.

The law on environment of 13/08/2018 in its article 58, states that any person who hunts, sells, injures or kills a protected animal species and products thereof, commits an offence.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than seven years and a fine of between Rwf5 million and Rwf7 million.