Rwanda National Police

Two people were on Saturday, January 2, showed to the media in Rusizi District after they were arrested for allegedly counterfeiting and issuing fake traffic related documents.

Eliab Ibyimana, 40, and Florien Mugenzi, 34, were found in possession of six forged traffic documents, including four transport authorisation permits normally issued by Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA) and two motor-vehicle inspection certificates issued by the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Automobile Inspection Centre to roadworthy vehicles.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonavanture Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that a resident provided information about a man, who had counterfeit traffic related documents.

"In response to the information, Police first arrested Aliab Ibyimana with the six forged documents. Ibyimana later disclosed that he got the fake papers from Mugenzi Florien to deliver them to motorists," CIP Karekezi said.

According to Ibyimana, Mugenzi would forge the documents and bring them to him to deliver them to owners of vehicles and drivers.

The documents indicate that they were issued in December 2020.

"Two forged transport authorisation permits were for public service vehicles while two others were meant for special hires. They barred a forged signature of one of the officials in RURA. The two automobile certificates, which indicated that they were issued at Huye imspection centre, were also for two special hire vehicles"

All the vehicles in question; RAB 889W, RAB 990V, RAB 696K and RAB 680V, were also impounded.

CIP Karekezi thanked the residents, who unearthed and reported the criminal acts. He warned of increased operations against drivers and vehicles with forged documents.

"It is both criminal and life-threatening acts because these vehicles indicating that they are roadworthy can kill people due to mechanical faults."

The suspects were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) at Bugarama station.

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Article 276 of the law determining offences and penalties in general, states that “any person who, in any manner, forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging  agreements, its provisions, obligations, or discharged obligations commits an offence.

Any person, who, with fraudulent intention, produces a false written document, causes to write false statements or produces a conflicting declaration, is considered to commit the offence of forgery.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years but not more than seven years and a fine of not less than Frw3 million and not more than Frw5 million or only one of these penalties.”

The penalty also applies to any person, who knowingly makes use of a forged document in any way.