Rwanda National Police

On Friday, November 26, Rwanda National Police (RNP) apprehended a woman in Rugera Village, Nyamitanga Cell, Jomba Sector of Nyabihu District with a bundle containing 2,023 pellets of cannabis.

The Western region Police spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, said that the arrest of Josiane Mutezimana, 28, a resident of Bigogwe Sector, is part of the ongoing Police operations targeting drug dealers and smugglers.

"Mutezimana was arrested at a Police checkpoint, which was mounted in Rugera Village along Mukamira-Muhanga highway, after officers found a bundles of cannabis concealed in her bag and covered with clothes," CIP Karekezi said.

Mutezimana claimed that she was hired by a major drug dealers in Bugeshi Sector, Rubavu District for Frw15, 000 to deliver the narcotics to another dealer in Nyanza District, where she was at the time heading.

She could, however, not disclose the alleged dealer, who paid her to transport the narcotics nor the identity of the person in Nyanza were she was taking the pellets of cannabis.

"We are aware of the tricks drug dealers use due to strong collaboration with local authorities and the general public. Many major drug dealers have been arrested because of this partnership which helps to compile names of suspected dealers and their chain of supply," CIP Karekezi said.

The suspect and exhibits were handed to RIB at Jomba station for further investigation.

Art 3 of the Ministerial order n? 001/moh/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorisation classifies  cannabis in the category of very severe narcotics.

Article 263 of the law No. 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offences and penalties in general states that any person who, unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, commits an offence.

In case of "very severe narcotic drugs" the offender is liable to between 20 years and life imprisonment and a fine of between Frw20 million and Frw30 million.