Rwanda National Police

A Rwanda National Police (RNP) crackdown on motorcycle theft has led to the arrest of two commercial motorcycle operators said to have been stealing from one of their own.

Jean de Dieu Habimana alias Shukuru, 34, and Gabriel Ngirabatware alias Kagabo, 42 were apprehended recently following a collaboration between police and members of the motorcycle association.

The duo is believed to be part of the ring that has so far stolen five motorcycles in Kigali city in the last two years.

Two of the missing motorcycles were stolen in the last two months, police said. The motorcycles were stolen in Gatenga, Giporoso, Kagarama and Masaka, all in Kicukiro District, and Kacyiru in Gasabo district.

“After thorough investigations with the help of motorcyclists themselves, we narrowed down the list of suspects to Habimana, who actually collaborated and confessed to the crime, and led the officers to his accomplice – Ngirabatware – who was arrested later that night in Ruhuha, Bugesera district,” Supt. Modeste Mbabazi, Police spokesperson for the central region, said.

Both Habimana and Ngirabatware, who confessed to the crime, however, said they stole only two motorcycles, one in Giporoso in May and another one at Kacyiru in July, but denied stealing the other three motorcycles.

They narrated that they had master keys they would use to steal the motorcycles from the parking yard, especially at night.

They told Police that they sold the two motorcycles in the neighbouring country at a tune of Rwf700, 000.

“It is likely that someone can commit a crime, but they are not likely to go away with it because there is a strong network between security organs and the public, which led to the arrest of these two main suspects, and even others who commit other crimes,” Supt. Modeste added.

He appreciated the current good cooperation with the public and neighbouring police forces that has been successful in apprehending criminals either in or outside the country and recovering stolen items.

He appealed to the general population to uphold the spirit of giving no room for criminality and make Rwanda a crime-free country by playing an active role in crime prevention through timely information sharing.