Rwanda National Police

A matron at St. Raphael Secondary School located in Rambura Sector, Nyabihu District has been arrested in connection with selling narcotic drugs.

Aloysia Vuganeza, 36, was arrested Saturday in a joint operation conducted by the Police and local leaders of Nyundo Cell.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that residents reported to their local leaders about Vuganeza's criminal dealings.

"Residents told area authorities that Vuganeza was retailing cannabis in their community; authorities reported the matter to Karago Police station," CIP Kayigi explained.

"Police and local authorities responded to the information and arrested the matron red-handed with 86 pellets of cannabis. The narcotics were recovered in two separate locations; in the kitchen and the pigsty," he added.

It is said that Vuganeza is a local cannabis retailer in Gasiza trading centre, and supplied by other big dealers.

"Information from informers indicate that she is supplied by someone, who normally comes on a motorcycle; the same supplier also gives other retailers in Rambura Sector," CIP Kayigi said.

"Law enforcement organs, local leaders and residents are working together to obtain detailed information on the whole ring of traffickers, the motorcycle in question and its rider as well as all local retailers,  to face the law."

"This is an unusual in Rwanda where a mentor sells cannabis; you can imagine what it means and the extent of the threat to her students, who can be easily turned into the market--consumers," the spokesperson observed.

"A mentor, educator and mother, whose majority of her customers were young people in Gasiza trading centre... this is so dangerous to students and the youth in general, parents, the community, education sector and the country in general; we call upon all Rwandans to stand up against such high impact crimes that ldestroy lives of the young people."

Anyone convicted of selling narcotics to children or teens faces a life imprisonment.

Transporting, making and selling narcotic drugs attracts a sentence of between seven years and life in prison, under article 263 of the penal code.