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Strengthened Police operations against illegal mining arrested five people in Muhanga District on Thursday.
Those arrested are Thelesphore Ngezahayo, 26, Charles Musafiri, 40, Jean Claude Nizeyimana, 40, Silas Nshimiyimana, 23, and 25-year old Jean Baptiste Buregeya.
Chief Inspector of Police(CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that the suspects were arrested red-handed mining in a closed concession in Nyarusange sector.
"Police and local leaders have been conducting awareness and operations against illegal mining activities especially in the districts of Muhanga, Gakenke and Rulindo where they are common," CIP Twajamahoro said.
"Because of this awareness, we are seeing increased information from the public reporting individuals engaged in these illegal and dangerous activities; it's through this context that we got information about these five suspects in Muhanga," he added.
Their arrest come two weeks after other six illegal miners were also arrested in Gakenke District.
"We urge the public to desist from these illegal acts. These operations are also meant to prevent disasters and loss of lives, which occur in these concessions especially at night, and during rainy season or people who enter in these sites even without any clue on their status."
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.
