Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) on Wednesday, May 13, handed back Frw500,000 to one Jean de Dieu Hatangimana, a motorcycle taxi rider who had lost the money nearly three weeks ago along the busy Remera–Giporoso road in Gasabo District.

For Hatangimana, the money represented more than just cash. It was the hope of transforming his livelihood through the purchase of a new motorcycle — an investment he believed would improve his daily income and support his family. But on April 23, that hope suddenly vanished.

After travelling from Kabuga to Giporoso with the money, Hatangimana only realised it was missing when he reached the point where he was supposed to buy a motorcycle.

“I felt completely devastated… hope was lost,” the smiling Hatangimana recalls, after receiving his money. “I searched myself repeatedly, but it was gone. I spent days without peace of mind and even stopped working for some time.”

Unknown to him, the money had already been recovered by a Police officer who was on duty at the Giporoso traffic lights intersection. 

Recovering the money, he says, was something he had almost stopped hoping for.

“A few days ago, my brother came across the Police announcement about money that had been found,” he said. “He shared the contact details with me, I contacted the police and later went to the Traffic Police headquarters at Muhima, where I provided all the necessary details.”

After the verification process was completed, the police confirmed that the recovered money belonged to him and handed it back.

The money, he revealed, had come from the sale of a piece of land — a sacrifice he had made to secure a better future through his work as a taxi-moto rider.

Filled with gratitude, Hatangimana commended the Rwanda National Police for their professionalism, integrity and commitment to serving the public. 

He also encouraged citizens to emulate the same spirit of honesty by returning lost property or reporting it to the Police whenever found.

Speaking during the handover, the RNP spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Boniface Rutikanga, said it is the responsibility of the Police to safeguard both people and their property, including recovering lost items and ensuring they are returned to their rightful owners.

He explained that several people reportedly came forward claiming the money, but their explanations failed to match the facts gathered by investigators. Some alleged the money was foreign currency, while others claimed it had been stored in a wallet or wrapped differently.

“Hatangimana was the only claimant who accurately described the money as bundles of Frw100,000 notes wrapped together with a rubber band, while also clearly explaining the route he had taken and the exact circumstances under which the cash went missing,” ACP Rutikanga said.