Rwanda National Police

Police in Ruhango have arrested a man said to have been conducting illegal mining and trade activities. 

Olivier Rukundo, 33, was arrested on April 30, in Byimana sector, Mpande cell with 37 kilograms of cassiterite and coltan minerals. 

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that Rukundo was "mining, buying and selling minerals illegally."

"Police had information that Rukundo heads a group of illegal miners, and use the cover of the night to mine cassiterite and coltan in Kanyarira," said CIP Twajamahoro. 

He added: "Licensed mining companies in the area had also reported Rukundo as the main character in the area, who carries out illegal mineral trade and in most cases buying them from their casual employees. 

On Thursday, we had credible information that he had brought a new consignment. When Police searched his house, they recovered 37kgs of casetirite and coltan, and he was immediately taken into custody."

Rukundo admitted to the crime saying that he was using other people to enter in the concessions at night but also conniving with casual miners of the firm to steal and bring the minerals to him.

CIP Twajamahoro said that illegal mining activities in this area were contributing largely to environmental degradation and affecting legal mineral business especially for the licensed owners of the concession. 

He warned residents against such unlawful acts and urged them to report those who break the law.

Article 3 of the ministerial regulations on fighting smuggling in mineral trading, forbids “importation of minerals into Rwanda without proper documents indicating their origin and the weight at origin, given by the right authorities.”

These minerals have to be with required trade documents, and to be certified and tagged by competent authorities.

Equally, article 4 provides that transportation of minerals outside mining licensed areas—concessions and permits perimeters—is only allowed, when the consignment shows the source mine, its value and when it has the right tag.

Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.    

The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a licence.