Rwanda National Police

Police is Nduba Sector of Gasabo District is holding a 25-year old man only identified as Twagirayezu, who was caught allegedly circulating fake currency notes.

 Twagirayezu was apprehended recently after the would-be victims notified local authorities, before police officers arrived shortly after and took him into custody.

 According to Police Spokesperson for Central Region, Superintendent of Police (SP) Modeste Mbabazi, Twagirayezu tried to purchase some items from local shops with fake notes, but the would-be victims realized that the notes were actually fake.

 “He tried several boutiques but shop attendants went wide-awake and they all noticed that Twagirayezu’s currency notes were not real. Owners of some shops had at this time already informed local authorities and Police, who arrived moments later and arrested him with counterfeit notes valued at Rwf9000,” said SP Mbabazi.

 The suspect claims he got the fake money from a commercial motorcyclist, but couldn’t explain why he was using them to buy goods even when he knew they were fake.

 Twagirayezu’s arrest comes about a week after three other people, two in Kigali and another one in Bugesera, were apprehended with fake currency notes amounting to Rwf44000, a success police attribute to the vigilance of the public and the business community in particular.

 Supt. Mbabazi said investigations are still underway to get to the  source of the fake money Twagirayezu was attempting to circulate, and to apprehend all those connected to this financial crime.

 “It’s true that there are some people who want to earn their living  through making and circulating counterfeit monies, but the better  and commendable part is that most of these individuals are arrested at points where they attempt to use these fake currencies.

We rarely receive cases of people who have been conned by such fraudsters,” said Mbabazi.  

 Telecom banking points like MTN Mobile Money and Tigo Cash,  Forex bureaus and small shops are the most targeted, and SP Mbabazi urged them to always verify the monies they receive from  their customers to prevent falling prey, and to immediately inform police whenever they encounter such challenges, for  immediate response and apprehension of suspects.

Articles 601 to 604 of the Rwandan penal code criminalize and punish those who falsify or alter coins and bills which are legal tender. The articles also punish those, who knowingly circulates fake monies and those who acquires fake currencies unknowingly, but circulates them after discovering they are counterfeit.