Rwanda National Police

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) has arrested two other people in Rubavu districts suspected to be major drug dealers.

The suspects identified as Faida Bernadette, 53, and Janvier Dushimimana, 30, were arrested separately on January 11, in Gikombe Cell of Rubavu Sector with 2,600 pellets of cannabis.

Their arrest came few days after two other people were also arrested in Rubavu with 1,000 rolls of cannabis.

"Faida and Dushimimana were on the list of suspected major drug dealers and ANU has been trailing them," said CIP Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region.

"On January 11, ANU received information from residents that they had a new consignment of narcotics. Police officers attached to ANU first arrested Dushimimana, who guided them to Faida's house where the 2, 600 rolls of cannabis were recovered and the latter also taken into custody," he added.

It is not the first time that Faida has been arrested in drug-related crimes.

She was in August 2016 convicted after she was found with 900 pellets of cannabis, and sentenced to two years in prison.

The Ministerial Order No. 001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorization classifies cannabis as a "very severe drug."

The law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, especially in its article 263, provides an imprisonment of between 20 years and life, for anyone convicted for very severe narcotic drugs and a fine of up to Frw30 million.

Meanwhile, law enforcement organs are also searching for another major drug dealer, who managed to flee in Rusizi District abandoning 850 rolls of cannabis.

CIP Karekezi said that the suspect has been identified as his search is underway.