English
Kinyarwanda
On Thursday, April 14, Rwanda National Police (RNP) arrested one Jean Baptiste Mategeko, 34, in Kigarama village, Bugaragara cell of Shyorongi sector in Rulindo District, in connection with cutting and stealing electricity cables from houses.
Mategeko is suspected to be part of the ring that vandalizes electricity infrastructure including stealing electricity cables connecting homes to the national grid, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Alex Ndayisenga, the Northern Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO).
?Residents in Bugaragara reported on Thursday, the theft of electric cables in the previous night, connecting their homes, which left them without electricity and named Mategeko among some of the prime suspects," SP Ndayisenga said.
"During the operation, Mategeko was arrested with a bag containing two rolls of electricity cables of over 100 metres long, which he allegedly stole from some of the affected homes.
He was also found with tools, which he was using in the vandalism and theft including knives, pliers, and screw-drivers," he added.
He sternly cautioned individuals and groups that engages in these criminal acts of vandalism of public infrastructure and theft of cables.
"If you know anyone involved in these criminal acts, always inform the Police on any of its communication channels, including the 112 toll-free line."
The suspect was handed over to RIB at Shyorongi station for further investigation while the search for other members of the ring is still ongoing.
Article 182 of the law determining offences and penalties states that any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and not more than five years with a fine of not less than Frw3 million and not more than Frw5 million.
