English
Kinyarwanda
Police has urged members of the general public particularly the business community such as shop attendants and mobile banking agents, to always be vigilant against people that might try to use their businesses to circulate counterfeit currency notes.
The call follows the recent arrest of a man identified as Jovin Byumvuhore, 22, who was arrested in possession of Rwf17, 000, all fake.
The Central region Police spokesperson, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Emmanuel Hitayezu, said that Byumvuhore was at the time trying to defraud a mobile banking agent to deposit the money on his mobile account.
“The mobile banking agent was so vigilant to notice that the money was counterfeit, and he called the Police; Byumvuhore was arrested at the scene with all the fake monies in the denominations of Rwf500 and Rwf1000,” SSP Hitayezu said.
The case was handed over to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).
Article 601 of the Rwandan penal code, stipulates that, any person who fraudulently counterfeits, falsifies or alters coins, which are legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, bills issued by the State and bearing its stamp or emblem, banknotes, authorized notes or any other related effects used in Rwanda or abroad, or any person who introduces or issues on the Rwandan territory bills or notes which are legal tender with knowledge that they are counterfeit or altered, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of more than five to seven years.
According to Article 603, any person who knowingly acquires or receives coins or notes mentioned in Article 601 of this Organic Law, and circulates them to any person, even if he/she is not one of counterfeiters or importers of such monies shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of one to three years.
