English
Kinyarwanda
Residents of Ngororero District have been called upon to support efforts to fight illegal mining activities and to prevent disasters and loss of lives that at times results from such unlawful acts.
The call follows the arrest of three people on June 19, who were mining coltan and cassiterite, illegally in Cyome Cell of Gatumba Sector.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira, the Police spokesperson for the Western Province identified the suspects as Corneille Mugabujeneza, 37, Laurent Iradukunda, 23, and Emmanuel Usabimfura, 56.
“Normally, illegal miners either block and channel streams to other directions so as to dry up the marked areas where they mine or sneak into closed or new concessions especially at night,” CIP Gasasira explained.
“These three suspects had also blocked Gisuma stream and were arrested in the wee hours of Tuesday morning after residents called the Police,” he said.
During such illegal mining activities, minerals are also washed in streams or tributaries.
“These illegal mining activities destroy the environment in one way or another and at times result into lifetime injuries as death in cases of landslides,” he said.
The spokesperson called upon residents to desist from such illegal acts and report anyone involved. He further urged owners of mining concessions to take security measures to prevent such unlawful acts at their sites.
According to article 438 of the penal code, any person who undertakes illegal research or illegally carries out commercial activities in valuable minerals, shall be liable to imprisonment of six months to one year and a fine of Rwf3 million to Rwf10 million or one of these penalties.
