Rwanda National Police

A drug dealer was intercepted Saturday in Nyamasheke District as he attempted to traffic a sack of cannabis into the country through Lake Kivu.

Police said that Bertin Bagiriwabo Sembeba, 59, who was trafficking the narcotics in a boat from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was intercepted by fishermen at about 5:30am as he encroached on the shores of the lake at Kirambo landing site in Kanjongo Sector.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that the sack of cannabis weighed 36kgs.

CIP Kayigi added that Bagiriwabo was identified by the fishermen in the wee hours and called Police in Nyamasheke.

"Fishermen in zone three in Lake Kivu got information that Bagiriwabo was trafficking cannabis from DR Congo and would use their zone to cross to Nyamasheke. They intercepted him as they awaited the arrival of Police, which they had called earlier before," CIP Kayigi said.

It is said that Bagiriwabo, who has been implicated and wanted for related criminal acts in the past, was delivering the narcotics in Mubirori cell, Kirimbi sector in Nyamasheke.

"He had been implicated in the past as one of the major drug traffickers, and finally his luck has run out with the help of fishermen, who are actually playing a great community policing role in fighting crimes committed within or through Lake Kivu, including smuggling and illegal fishing," the spokesperson said.

Any person convicted for "severe drugs", under article 263 of the penal code, faces between 20 years and life in prison and a fine of up to Rwf30 million.