English
Kinyarwanda
A man identified as Jeremie Misago, 33, was arrested on Tuesday in a Police operation against illegal mining and mineral trade in Kamonyi District.
Misago was arrested in Rukoma Sector, Taba Cell in Bukokora Village where he was at the time found with 160kgs of cassiterite and 4kgs of coltan.
The minerals were recovered in Misago’s house located in Bukokora Village, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Slyvestre Twajamahoro, the Southern region Police spokesperson, said.
“Misago was known to be engaged in illegal mineral business and buying minerals from illegal miners and had turned his house into a store,” CIP Twajamahoro said.
“On Tuesday, Police in Kamonyi received information that Misago had brought new consignments of minerals. Certainly, when Police officers searched his house they recovered 160kgs of cassiterite and 4kgs of coltan. The suspect was immediately taken into custody,” he added.
His arrest came a day after other 200 kilograms of cassiterite and 20 kilograms of Mangano were seized from two other illegal dealers in minerals in Nyagatare and Rubavu districts, respectively.
“The ongoing operations are conducted jointly by law enforcement and security organs as well as local leaders to fight illegal mining activities and related businesses. We recommend the role of the public in providing information on such unlawful activities conducted in their communities,” CIP Twajamahoro said.
Article 4 provides that transportation of minerals outside mining licensed areas—concessions and permits perimeters—is only allowed, when the consignment shows the source mine, its value and when it has the right tag.
Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence commits an offence.”
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
RELATED STORIES
220kgs of smuggled minerals seized from illegal dealers
