Rwanda National Police

Strengthened Police and community night patrol operations against theft conducted on Friday and Saturday in City of Kigali, led to the arrest of seven people said to be behind those criminal acts.
 
The suspects include those who break into houses at night and others who ambush people at night.

The suspects are identified as Sefu Mboninabo, 36, Eric Nzabahimana, 34, Patrick Nyirimanzi, 36, Vincent Karuhanga, 24, Jean Paul Uwayo, 27, Eugène Ntibarikure and Dieudonné Twagirayezu.

According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie-Gorette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson of the Central region, Nzabahimana and Mboninabo are part of the same ring that has been ambushing people at night in Kigali Sector, stealing their valuables by "forcing and threatening to harm them."

"Their whereabouts and identities were shared by some of the victims during a community meeting. They would especially snatch ladies' bags and phones," said CIP Umutesi.

"After hearing their identities were disclosed in community meetings as the ones responsible for the said criminal acts, they fled from their village only to return days later and they were arrested. Nzabihimana was at the time cutting trees in a gazetted forest, which is also prohibited and punishable by law," she added.

Two other suspected thieves; Nyirimanzi and Uwayo were arrested in Nduba Sector of Gasabo District after they were also identified and reported by local residents for the same criminal acts.

In Kicukiro District, Eugène Ntibarikure and Dieudonné Twagirayezu  were arrested shortly after drilling through a house of one Ndayisaba Janvier located in Gako, Masaka Sector where they stole car tyres and other valuables. The tyres were also recovered from the duo.

CIP Umutesi commended the impact of community policing and local night patrols known as Irondo, in fighting such criminal acts through information sharing on anyone suspected to be behind these criminal tendencies.

Article 166 of the penal code provides an imprisonment of between one and two years, a fine of between Rwf1 million and Rwf2 million or a community service of six months or one of these penalties.