Rwanda National Police

Theophile Twizerimana could have alluded police arrest on several occasion, but his luck run out on Tuesday when his trick of using a wheelchair to cross narcotic drugs across the DR. Congo and Rwanda border in Rubavu District was uncovered leading to his arrest.

According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, Twizerimana would masquerade as a Good Samaritan pushing people with disabilities on a wheelchair to cross the border as means to sneak cannabis into the country.

“On the fateful day, the suspect, as usual, took the wheelchair from the Rwandan side and crossed to DR. Congo pushing a person he alleged was disabled. He padded it with boules of cannabis, which he would plunk off on return,” CIP Gasasira said.

“We already had information about his trick and as he returned with the wheelchair, we checked it and indeed we found the drugs stashed around it, he was immediately taken into custody and currently detained at Gisenyi Police station as investigations to complete his case file proceed,” he added.

CIP Gasasira warned anyone who may intend to engage in drug dealing that the long arm of the law will catch up with them.

“We are able to know different tricks traffickers use because of the thriving partnership with the people, who give us credible information. Any other trick that drug dealers could be using and yet to be known, will also come to light eventually and dealers will be arrested to face justice,” he warned, commending the role of the public in fighting drug related crimes.

Drug traffickers especially those using Rubavu route, have been rolling out different tricks to traffic cannabis into the country but often time, they fall in the hands of the law enforcers.

Some swim through Lake Kivu with bags of cannabis despite risks to be blown away by waves. Others wrap them around the body, stash them in luggage, pumpkins and bicycle tyres; women carry them at the back as babies or masquerade and expecting mothers; others put them in their veils  or Taqiyah (Muslim cap) while others hire vehicles and motorcycles especially at night.

There are also cases where traffickers have been arrested using milk cans including traditional containers locally known as Icyansi as well as juice and milk packets.

“We have uncovered all these tricks, and we thank the good cooperation with the people but calling for strengthened vigilance and information sharing on anyone that is still involved in these criminal businesses and poisoning the people, especially the young generation, who are the majority affected,” the spokesperson said.