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Police in Nyagatare District have arrested Robert Kashaija, a 24 years attempting to smuggle pharmaceutical products into Rwanda.
Upon his arrest, Kashaija who is currently held at Nyagatare Police Station attempted to bribe the officer on duty to free him.
According to the Eastern Region Police spokesperson, Inspector of Police, Emmanuel Kayigi, the suspect who didn’t have any identification on him was arrest on August 17 as he sneaked in the country with 45 cartons of Lumartem, a an anti-malarial drug.
“Upon his arrest, the suspect tried to bribe an officer with Rwf30, 000 to release him, but the officer acted professionally and arrested him. Attempting to bribe the officer attracts another crime,” said Kayigi.
He warned that smuggling pharmaceuticals products is a very dangerous dealing that may have a big effect to people's health.
“Rwanda and Uganda enjoy good trade relations, borders are always open; there is excuse no for smuggling or any form of illegal trade…. With regards to bribes, Rwanda National Police have a zero tolerance towards corruption; any attempt to bribe a police officer is an affront to the institution.”
The arrest and seizure of the products follows the December 2014 ‘FAGIA Operation’ an Interpol-backed operation conducted last year where chucks of Lumartem medicine branded “not for sale” were seized. The medicine had also been smuggled in Rwanda from Uganda.
Article 641 of the Penal Code stipulates that any person who directly or indirectly offers a gift in order to get an illegal service or refrain from carrying out their duties shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of between five and seven years, or a fine of twice up to ten times the value of what they had offered as a bribe.
