Rwanda National Police

Forging or using a counterfeit driver's license is a criminal act but also a risk to road security due to lack of knowledge on traffic rules and regulations.

This is why Rwanda National Police is tough on people producing or using fake driver's license.

One of those using a forged permit identified as Emmanuel Nizeyimana, 45, was arrested on Friday, June 10, in Meshero Village, Kinyami Cell, Rukomo Sector in Gicumbi District with forged category A license.

Category A is for a motorcycle and Nizeyimana is a taxi-moto operator, who was using the forged permit.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Alex Ndayisenga, the Political and Civic Education Officer for the Northern Region, said that Nizeyimana was arrested at traffic checkpoint in Rukomo.

"Traffic Police officers on their routine duties, stopped Nizeyimana at about 1pm to check his traffic related documents only to realize that his driving license is forged and the motorcycle insurance was also expired, leading to his arrest to face the law for the alleged crime," SP Ndayisenga said.

Nizeyimana claimed that he bought the forgery five years ago for Frw1 million. He also alleged that the man who sold it to him died last month.

"Nizeyimana was handed over to RIB at Byumba station for further investigations," said SP Ndayisenga.

He further warned anyone holding a fake permit and those involved in counterfeiting permits risk spending years in prison.

"Some people want easy and criminal means of getting driver?s licence forgetting that with the available hi-tech devices used by traffic police officers on the road, it is easy to detect such forgeries.

We advise the public to follow all laid-down procedures to acquire authentic licence."

Article 276 of the law determining offences and penalties in general states that any person, who in any manner, forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging agreements, its provisions, obligations, or discharged obligations, commits an offence.
 
Any person who, with fraudulent intention, produces a false written document, causes to write false statements or produces a conflicting declaration, is considered to commit the offence of forgery.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years but not more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than Frw3 million and not more than Frw5 million or only one of these penalties.