Rwanda National Police

Police in Nyarugenge District is hold one Papias Mbuguje, 23, for allegedly attempting to sneak narcotic drugs into Mageragere prison.

Senior Supt. Emmanuel Hiatayezu, the Central region Police spokesperson, said that Mbuguje was arrested on July 7, when he tried to traffic half a kilogramme of cannabis concealed in his shoes.

"He had gone to the prison to visit an inmate identified as Hassan Bahati, however, they tried to exchange shoes so that Mbuguje leaves his shoes stashed with drugs, with the inmate. This was a tricked they hatched to try to beat securing," SSP Hitayezu said.

"It was easier to notice what was going on due to high level of vigilance by prison wardens. When they saw them exchanging shoes, they immediately seized the shoes, searched them and found pellets of cannabis weighting about half a kilogramme stashed in the shoes; Mbuguje was immediately taken into custody and handed over to Police," he added.

SSP Hitayezu said that it is common practice that everyone who enters the prison is subject to search and all inmates are also searched after the meeting visitors, which has proved impossible for illegal items to be sneaked in.

There are also cases where the so called visitors have been arrested with illicit drugs concealed in milk or water containers.

The spokesperson warned the general public against such criminal attempts emphasising that fighting drugs is among the priorities of Rwanda National Police in partnership with other security agencies as well as other public and private institutions and the general public through community policing.