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Kinyarwanda
A driver of a travel agency – Okapi – was arrested in Rusizi District for allegedly attempting to bribe a traffic police officer.
Munguiko Makenze 44 had attempted to give a bribe of $10 to the officer to drop traffic related charges including over-speeding.
Inspector of Police (IP) Eulade Gakwaya, the western region police spokesperson confirmed the arrest.
He explained that the Congolese national was Rusizi-bound from Bukavu.
“He was stopped by road traffic officers after the speed ladder detected that he had exceeded the maximum speed. When the officer demanded for his driver’s licence as a prerequisite to impose the penalty, the suspect instead offered a bribe of $10 in an attempt to unlawfully influence the officer to drop the charges,” said IP Gakwaya.
The Advanced Speed Laiser machine has the capacity to measure speed, video recording, and identify vehicles registration number.
IP Gakwaya said that “instead of paying the fines under the law, the driver resorted to offering the bribe, which is a criminal act under article 641 of the penal code.”
The article states that “any person who explicitly or implicitly offers, proposes directly or indirectly a gift or any other illegal benefit, to a person in charge of a service, mission or mandate or who promises it in order to render a service or to refrain from carrying out any usual duties, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of more than five years to seven years and a fine of twice to ten times the value of the illegal benefit offered or promised.”
IP Gakwaya advised drivers and the public in general not indulge in bribery or related malpractices because it attracts avoidable consequences including imprisonment.
