English
Kinyarwanda
A man identified as Josué Ndinkabandi is detained at Gisenyi Police station in Rubavu district in connection with counterfeiting and distributing fake currencies.
Ndinkabandi was arrested on November 26 in Gisenyi sector after he was found in possession of two fake notes of Rwf5, 000.
The suspect was reported by a mobile money agent as the former tried to deposit it on his mobile money account.
Police said, after the mobile money agent identified that the notes were fake, he informed people around who apprehended him as he tried to flee and handed him to Police in the area.
Superintendent Emmanuel Hitayezu, the Western region Police Spokesperson, noted that counterfeit is a criminal act which is punishable by the Rwandan law.
"Counterfeit poses a serious threat to the country’s economy and weakens the currency. When counterfeited money is injected into the monitory system of the country, it leads to inflation and thus undermining the overall development of the country,” said Sup Hitayezu.
He advised residents, particularly the youth to do away with the mentality of wanting to get rich quickly through illegal acts.
He urged them to form cooperatives and apply for loans from micro finances and invest the money into small income generating businesses.
Sup Hitayezu urged residents to join efforts to fight crimes by sharing timely information with security organs to ensure those involved are arrested and brought to book.
" the penal code which stipulates that ;any person, who counterfeits, uses or circulates, by any means, items misrepresented as money or negotiable instruments shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of two to five years and a fine of two to ten times the value of the counterfeited money.
