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Kinyarwanda
Police in Gatsibo district is holding a man identified as Jerome Ntegerejimana for allegedly masquerading to withdraw Rwf520, 000 from another man’s bank account.
Ntegerejimana’s attempted plan was foiled on June 10 when he tried to withdraw the money at Bank Populaire branch in Kabarole.
Inspector of Police Emmanuel Kayigi, Police spokesperson for the Eastern Province explained that the suspect, who hails from Karangazi Sector in Nyagatare District, on the fateful day, went to the victim’s (name withheld) house claiming to be registering new entrants in the area.
The would-be victim was a new tenant in the area.
“He took a national ID from the victim on pretence that he was going to register him in the Village book. He is suspected to have connived with the victim’s landlord, who gave him a bank account,” IP Kayigi explained.
Police is still searching for the landlord, who has since gone in hiding.
“He went to the bank, filled the form under the victim’s name but he was identified by a teller, who called Police and was arrested before he could flee the scene.”
IP Kayigi commended the vigilance of the teller and appealed to bank employees to always “double-verify” particulars of their customers before any service, to foiled such criminal plans.
“These are financial criminal acts punishable under articles 300, 318 and 609 of the penal code, and the public are urged to strengthen cooperation to fight these and other crimes.”
Under article 318 any person who, intentionally obtains a property belonging to another person fraudulently or by using false names or qualities, to give rise to hope or fear of harm and obtains a part or whole of a fortune shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million.
In article 609, any person who forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging agreements, its provisions, obligations, discharged obligations shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of more than five years to seven years and a fine of Rwf300, 000 and Rwf3 million.
