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Kinyarwanda
Police in Kayonza District arrested one Sylvester Rwabuduranya, on October 15, for allegedly set ablaze about 10 hectares of a forest located in Rwinkwavu Sector.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Theobard Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said that Rwabuduranya, a local farmer, used a minor to burn the forest so as to expand his cattle farm.
“At about 2pm on Monday, residents of Rwinkwavu saw the forest burning and the neighboring communities joined hands to contain the wildfire before destroying the entire forest; but they also called the Police and local leaders,” CIP Kanamugire said.
“However, it later came to light that Rwabuduranya had manipulated one of the young boys aged 14, who were fetching firewood in the same forest, to set the forest ablaze,” he added.
It is said that the suspect had paid the boy Rwf5000 to burn the forest.
The spokesperson warned against environmental degradation acts and appealed to residents to always report people that destroy the ecosystem.
Article 187 of the penal code, partly, specifies that any person, who maliciously damages or plunders trees belonging to another person or belonging to him/her but with an effect on others, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the article adds, the offender faces an imprisonment of not less than one year, and not more than two years and a fine between Rwf1 million and Rwf2 million, or only one of these penalties.
