Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) in partnership with local residents in Rubavu District have seized 2490 pellets of cannabis from a 23-year-old suspected trafficker and distributor.

The suspect was arrested at around 2p.m, on Tuesday, August 30, in Gasizi Village, Hehu Cell in Bugeshi Sector.

He had concealed the narcotics in kitenge, a traditional fabric, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Western region Police spokesperson.

The arrest and subsequent seizure of the narcotic drugs, he added, was made possible thanks to a tip-off from a local resident, who spotted the suspect sneaking the narcotic into the country.

“After receiving information from a resident of Hehu Cell that there was a man with quantities of cannabis hidden in kitenge, police officers were quick to arrive at the scene and arrested him in Gisizi Village,” SP Karekezi said.

The suspect said he had trafficked cannabis from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He, however, claimed that the narcotics were not his and that he was given a job by a man from Mudende Sector, but he could not to provide his identity.

The suspect was handed over to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Mudende Station, for further investigation into the crime he allegedly committed as the search for his alleged  accomplices continue.

SP Karekezi thanked the resident, who shared information that led to the seizure of the narcotics before they were distributed, and cautioned of severe consequences to whoever will be caught in such high impact crime.

If convicted, the suspect faces between 20 years and life imprisonment and a fine of more than Frw20 million and not more than Frw30 million, as stipulated in article 263 of law No. 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offences and penalties in general.