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Kinyarwanda
Felonies committed in Rwanda dropped by 5 percent in 2014 compared to last year, owing to Police concerted efforts to end crime, including the adoption of modern and advanced detection measures and a continuous massive campaign among other initiatives.
The news was disseminated during a press briefing held on December 8 at the Police headquarters in Kacyiru presided over by the Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana alongside the Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana.
During a presentation on the security status in the country by the Police Spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Celestin Twahirwa, he attributed the decline to a number of unveiled strategic interventions, including setting up an anti-corruption department as well as increasing the force’s visibility and operations in order to maintain law and order.
According to the presentation, the force will further enhance partnership with the public through several platforms, including media and social media, engage our partners to support the campaign against crime, advance E-Policing and continue improvement of the Force’s capabilities to deliver quality service.
In this year, the prevalent crimes included assault and battery, drug abuse among the youth, burglary, child defilement and murder. However, these crimes also reduced by 2.5 percent compared to last year.
Road accidents which had been rampant in the first eight months, also dropped drastically by over 50 percent – a development that is attributed to intensive and massive countrywide road safety awareness campaign coupled with TV and radio talk shows where officers discussed road safety issues.
Police seeks to further improve road safety by streamlining driving license services. All tests will be made easier through the Integrated Testing Center, while we shall also start conducting computer-based theory exams and launch an off-the-road practical testing facility.
While we head towards the festive period, Minister Harerimana urged the public to enjoy reasonably without undermining laws or the rights of other people.
“The security in the country is commendable and all stakeholders have done a great job to ensure that the peace in Rwanda is sustainable and for the future. However as individual citizens, we must ensure that we do our part by ensuring that our happiness does not affect the peace of our neighbor,” Harerimana said.
Some notable criminal cases in 2014 included; smuggling and evading of tax, where a Rwandan known as Celestin Bimenyimana conspired with some agents of Rwanda Revenue Authority to evade taxes worth Rwf260 million, before he was later arrested and tried.
Another case included a Ugandan drug trafficker known as Asifa Ddungu, who was arrested at Kigali International Airport coming from Bujumbura, Burundi, with cocaine worth Rwf34 million.
On November 18, three people were arrested including one Sostene Izibyayo, who was intercepted at Kigali International airport in transit from Sao Paolo, Brazil, with 7.5kgs of cocaine valued at about Rwf253 million.
IGP Gasana also embarked on the issue of trafficking in human beings noting that although it is not a serious issue in Rwanda, “we can’t afford even a single case.”
He referred to various cases including the recent one of a senior six students who was rescued from Zambia, four Ugandan girls intercepted at Kigali International airport being trafficked and 63 Bangladeshi intercepted in Kigali in transit to Mozambique.
Rwanda, in most cases is used as a transit route, and IGP Gasana partnership with other police forces has been vital fighting such cross-border crimes.
