Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP has recovered some of the laptops that were recently stolen from students of Kagarama Secondary School.

The school administration, recently filed a case where at least seven Positivo laptops were stolen from students.

Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, Supt. Emmanuel Hitayezu, said that during investigations, they recovered nine stolen laptops, three of which matched the serial numbers provided by the school.

At least four people suspected to be behind the theft, including a student at Kagarama Secondary school, have been arrested.  

“When the school administration failed a complaint, we immediately started investigations that led us to the student who was stealing laptops from his classmates and selling them to the other three men operating in ‘Kazinikazi’ in the city center where we recovered all the nine laptops,” said Supt. Hitayezu.

The three suspects operating in Kazonikazi were identified as Alex Kazeneza, Daddy Murumba and Emmanuel Kagabo.

It is said that the suspected student was selling each laptop at Rwf10, 000. Parents paid Rwf325, 000 for each Postivo BGH laptop.

“Investigations are still underway to establish if the other computers belong to the students or find their rightful owners,” Supt. Hitayezu said.

Recovered laptops.

Innocent Bigiyobenda, the Dean of Studies at Kagarama Secondary school, who received the laptops on behalf of the students, said: “Seven students reported that their laptops had been stolen; we immediately notified the police and so far three of them have been recovered, and hopefully those still missing will be recovered too.”

“We thank the efforts police have put up to return these computers and pledge to enhance our verification mechanisms to ensure no other laptops are stolen from students,” he said.

 This is not the first time police have recovered stolen electronics. Last week, Police in Muhanga District also recovered nine one-laptop-per children stolen from Bwirika Primary School on Monday.

Previously, police operations conducted in parts of Kigali also recovered an assortment of electronics which are stored at Kigali Metropolitan Police Headquarters in Remera, where rightful owners can collect them.

“We appeal to the public to always mark their items and keep receipts with serial numbers so that when recovered, they can be easily identified by the owners,” said Supt. Hitayezu.

Theft without violence is punishable with an imprisonment of up to two years.