Rwanda National Police

Two suspected illegal mineral dealers were, on Friday, August 14, arrested in Nyamabuye Sector of Muhanga District as they attempted to give a bribe of Rwf500,000.

The two suspects are identified as Ezechiel Ntampaka and his elder brother, only identified as Mbanda.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Emmanuel Ndori, the Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO) of the Southern region, said that Ntampaka was  intercepted by the Police on August 10, in Taba, Kamonyi District, with 187kgs of minerals.

"Ntampaka later involved his brother Mbanda and they started tracing and calling the Police officer, who seized the minerals and handling the case," SP Ndori said.

He added: "Mbanda called the Police officer repeatedly since August 12, trying to befriend and offering him money so as to release the minerals.

The officer decided to bring the matter forward to his superiors. On August 14, they called him again to meet in Muhanga. Like it was expected, when he met the two brothers they tried to give him a bribe of Rwf500,000 in order to bail their minerals, and they were arrested red-handed."

SP Ndori warned against such criminal tendencies, which he said "affects service delivery and lays foundation for further criminality."

"Ntampaka was involved in unlawful mineral business and went ahead to commit another crime with the help of his brother to prevent the Police officer from performing his sworn duties," the RPCEO said.

Corruption or bribery in particular, is a taboo in Rwanda and "zero tolerance."

The two brothers have since been handed over to RIB at Nyamabuye station.

According to article 4 of the Law on Fighting Against Corruption, any person who offers, solicits, accepts or receives, by any means, an illegal benefit for himself/herself or another person in order to render, omit or acquire a service, commits an offence.

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of more than five years but not more than seven years, with a fine of three to five times the value of the illegal benefit offered, solicited or received.