Rwanda National Police

Police in Murama Sector of Kayonza District arrested one Dickson Musafiri, 30, with counterfeit money amounting to US$4700.

Musafiri was arrested with the fake dollar bills on Thursday, October 8.

The Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana said Musafiri's arrest was a result of credible information from community policing partners.

“On that day, Musafiri had travelled from Kigali, apparently to buy minerals illegally from a group of unlawful miners, which calls itself imparata," CIP Twizeyimana said.

The two parties failed to reach an understanding on the price and the latter bowed out of the deal, which forced the angry gang to attempt to rob him after realising that he had a lot of cash.

"Imparata ran after him and that is when Musafiri caused alarm calling for help as he was fleeing from the group, which prompted local residents to immediately call the Police reporting the incident. 

Three members of imparata and Musafiri were arrested in the process, when Police officers checked the money that Musafiri had, they realised that some dollar bills amounting to US$4,700 were fake. They also seized 9kgs of cassiterite minerals from imparata," the spokesperson said.

Musafiri, however, declined to disclose the origin of the fake bills, which he also wanted to distribute through such illegal mineral business.

All the fake bills which Musafiri was caught with had the same serial number, a characteristic similar to other counterfeit dollar notes that were recently seized from other people in Kigali.

The suspects and their exhibits have been handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) for further legal steps, including tracing the source of the counterfeit money.

Article 269 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general states that “any person who, fraudulently counterfeits, falsifies or alters coins or bank notes which are legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, notes issued by the Treasury with its stamp or brand, either banknotes or alike that have legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, or one who introduces or issues in Rwanda such effects or notes with knowledge that they are forged or falsified, commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, they are liable imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than seven years.

Imparata, CIP Twizeyimana said, is a known group that steals minerals and conducts illegal mining activities, mainly in Rwinkwavu and Murama concessions.

"Many of their group members have been arrested in varied and continuous operations to break the ring, with some of the operations, at times, being violent."

He commended community policing partners for sharing information in a timely manner that leads to the arrest of such criminals. 

Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence commits an offence.” 

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.    

The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.