Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police sternly warns those involved in counterfeit of currencies, saying it is a criminal offense that is punishable by the law.

The warning follows two recent cases in Kirehe District involving Egide Ndagijimana and Solomon Nzigira who were arrested with forged American dollars.

According to the Police, Ndagijimana was arrested with fake US$400 and he claimed he got the counterfeit money from Nzigira. When police searched Nzigira’s home, they found him with 7600 fake American dollars. The two were arrested in Mahama sector at different occasions and are currently held at Kirehe Police Station.

“We received reports from residents that the two men were secretly forging dollars. Although we arrested them with exhibit, investigations are still going,” said Police Spokesperson for Eastern Province, Inspector of Police, Emmanuel Kayigi.

He further pointed out that, “we urge the public to always report such cases since counterfeit money affects not only the receiver but also the national economy "

Last week, Police in Burera district arrested Innocent Ndayambaje, with 38 counterfeit notes of 5000 denomination of RWF. The suspect was arrested as he attempted to buy tea from a restaurant using fake money.

Police was tipped off by residents who suspected Ndayambaje of having fake money. Counterfeit money may not be security threat in Rwanda but it remains a problem that may affect the economy of the country and those that fall victim as forgers prey.

To protect the economy and the society from falling victim of forgers’ malpractices, Security organs and other partners or stakeholders have a responsibility of ensuring that the vice is uprooted.

Besides being illegal and a crime under the Rwandan laws, fake money has an ill-effect on society as it leads to a reduction in the value of real money.

It increases prices (inflation) due to more money getting circulated in the economy – an unauthorized artificial increase in the money supply; leads to decrease in the acceptability of paper money and cause losses to the business community.

The presence of counterfeit currency is not a new phenomenon. Many countries have faced this problem, and this is why Rwanda National Police has taken the matter with all seriousness and arrest the flow of such counterfeit currencies circulations in the country.

Though financial institutions have installed hi-tech equipment to easily detect fake monies, the likely majority victims could be the local people dealing in small businesses in communities; those selling vegetables, owning small shops in villages, to mention but a few.

These traders will lose their goods to these crooks and will not be reimbursed for the detected and confiscated fake monies.

Some individuals involved in forging and circulating monies have been arrested, majority prosecuted.

Articles 601 to 604 of the Rwandan penal code criminalize and punish those who falsify or alter coins and bills which are legal tender. The articles also punish those, who knowingly circulates fake monies and those who acquires fake currencies unknowingly, but circulates them after discovering they are counterfeit.

It should, therefore, be a collective responsibility by everyone to report those individuals involved in falsifying and circulating currencies.