Rwanda National Police

Police have arrested three people in Nyarugenge and Gisagara districts for allegedly vandalizing power lines and stealing pylon crossarms, nuts and bolts, which they were selling as scraps.

Two of the suspects were arrested Thursday in Mataba, Mageragere Sector in Nyarugenge District where they were attempting to cut and steal electricity wires from poles.

"Security personnel on patrol found them climbing electricity poles to cut wires, at night," Chief Inspector of Police (CIP, Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said.

In Gasagara District, one Mugabe Albert was arrested at his home in Gikonko Sector, Gikonko Cell in Gahabwa Village where 6kgs of bolts and 20 pieces of crossarms stolen from pylons, were recovered.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Habiyaremye, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that Mugabe was reported by a resident.

"Following information that metals stolen from power lines were kept at a house in Gikonko; Police and other security organs went to the same house where the 20 pieces of crossarms and 6kgs of bolts all stolen from pylons, were recovered and Mugabe arrested," CIP Habiyaremye said.

He added that Police is also still searching for another person only identified as Mwizerwa, Mugabe's accomplice, who allegedly brought the items earlier that morning and left them there.

All the suspects were handed over to RIB for further investigations.

Article 182 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, 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 (3) years and not more than five (5) years with a fine of not less than Frw3 million and not more than Frw5 million.