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Police in Gisagara District has arrested a man in connection with vandalizing utility infrastructure.
Jean D’Amour Muhizi, 30, was arrested Thursday in Rebero village, Gakoma cell in Mamba Sector of Gisagara District with his accomplice, only identified as Nshimiyimana
It is said that the two men were cutting and stealing electric cables connecting households on the national grid as well as electricity and water meters from houses.
“Security personnel, while on patrol on Thursday night at about 10pm, found Muhizi and Nshimiyimana climbing electric poles cutting cables connecting households; they had already cut one cable of over 10 metres. They were also found in possession of cash-power and water metre which they had stolen in other homes,” said CIP Twajamahoro.
“Their criminal actions were causing water and electricity shortage to affected households,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson of the Southern region, said.
The duo was guising as employees of the utility bodies. They have since been handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau in Gisagara.
The arrest comes after several complaints of people over theft of their cables at night.
Under article 182 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions, which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and not more than five years with a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million.
