Rwanda National Police

Four people have been arrested by Police on suspicion of stealing 500 Kilograms of fertilizers in Rusizi District, police said.

The four were spotted by members of the public who said they saw at least four unknown criminals and immediately alerted the police at Bugarama police station.

The arrest was made on January 24 in Bugarama sector, Ryankana cell, Mubombo Village.

“A team of Police officers on patrol rushed to the scene of the incident and apprehended the four,” said Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Innocent Gasasira.

CIP Gasasira explained that at the time of arrest, the suspects were transporting the government subsidized fertilizers to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Rusizi River.

The Police Officers also recovered 10 bags of UREA fertilizers each bag weighing 50kg and a motor vehicle in which the bags were being loaded towards the river.

Police identified the suspects as Anastase Hitimana 45, Felicien Urayeneza 35, Valens Ntawumenyuzakira 37 and Damascene Ahingeneye 45.

They are being detained at Bugarama police station pending further investigations by Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) officers.

Law enforcers have began a manhunt of the Agronomist identified as Christophe Gashorongo on suspicion of embezzlement after the suspects revealed that he supplied the fertilizers.

CIP Gasasira explained that it was not yet clear if indeed the suspects got the fertilizers from Gashorongo as claimed by the detained suspects.

Fertilizer contains nutrients that play a key role in agricultural productivity, which explain the importance of their availability in farming seasons.

The suspect will be charged under section two, article 166 which states that “any person convicted of theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one (1) year and not more than two (2) years and a fine of not less than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000) and not more than two million Rwandan francs (FRW 2,000,000), community service in a period of six (6) months or only one of these penalties.