Rwanda National Police

Police in Ngororero District have challenged students to stay focused on their education and to be community policing agents in their respective communities.

They were urged to report people, who deal in illicit drugs or attempt to lure them into criminal activities like selling and abusing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The call was made by Inspector of Police (IP) Jean Bosco Mugenzi, the District Political and Civic Education Officer (DPCEO) for Ngororero, while meeting students undergoing vocational training at Ngororero Youth Development Centre, on Sunday.

“Selling or abusing illicit drugs comes with its ill-effects that might hamper your future prospects on top of being illegal,” IP Mugenzi told the students.

 He observed that many young people are subject to peer pressure and influence from bad elements in the society. “However, the choice is yours to make to remain in the right path by being responsible enough to say no to drug abuse, and make an extra-mile to report such individuals, who want to poison you or to obstruct your future.”

“Be Police ambassadors in your communities, don’t see a drug dealer or anything criminal and keep quiet; be the line of defense against lawlessness,” IP Mugenzi added.

He mentioned that drugs are the primary source of other crimes, like gender-based violence, theft and aggressive behaviors, amongst others.

“As long as you become addicted to drugs, it affects you psychologically, you lose control of your life and finally drugs lead you into other criminal acts,” IP Mugenzi said.

He emphasized that drugs have negative economic impact, either to the addict, to the family and even to the entire nation. “The law is very clear and severe to anyone engaged in drug related crimes. Again, when one is jailed, especially when the offender is a parent, the family will be affected,” DPCEO emphasized.

By law, anyone convicted as a major drug dealer faces a penalty of between 20 years and life in prison.

Any person who, in any way, eats, drinks, inhales, injects or anoints himself/herself with psychotropic substances, commits an offence, with an imprisonment of one to two years or subject to a penalty of community service.   

Deo Tureme, the coordinator for Ngororero Youth Development Centre, thanked Rwanda National Police (RNP) for its endless efforts in enlightening the youth and empowering them to be custodians of the law, safety and security. Tureme also urged the students to be responsive in fighting and preventing crimes.