Rwanda National Police

Three men suspected of impersonating police officers and defrauding people have been arrested in Nyarugenge and Rubavu districts.

One of the suspects – Eric Maniriho, 40 – was arrested red-handed on January 28 in Bushengo Village of Gikombe Cell in Bugeshi Sector.

Police spokesperson for the Western region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Eulade Gakwaya said Maniriho had already defrauded different people by the time of his arrest.

“In one of the cases, Maniriho, who was guising as a Police station commander, conned one of the victims Rwf54, 000 telling them that he would release their relatives or friends detained at the Police station,” CIP Gakwaya said.

Impersonation under article 609 of the Rwandan penal code, is punishable with a term of imprisonment of between five and seven years and a fine of up to Rwf3 million.

CIP Gakwaya as faulted the victims’ “unlawful behavior to acquire illegal services.”

“Always do right things through legal process; be vigilant to be very sure that you are doing it with the right person,” the spokesperson said.

“Fraudsters will work on your illegal minds and con you; it this case, for example, the victims’ attempt amount to bribery, which is also a criminal practice and punishable by the law,” he warned.

Article 641 of the penal code provides a jail term of between five and seven years and a fine of two to ten times the value of the illegal benefit offered or promised.

In Nyarugenge, Jean D’Amour Mbonigaba and Idrissa Habimana were arrested in Rwezamenyo Sector where they pretended to be Police officers in an attempt to flee a suspected thief apprehended by residents after snatching a handset.

“Suspecting trickery, residents demanded to know their identities and in the due process, police officers arrived. It later came to light that they were also accomplices in the theft,” Senior Supt. Emmanuel Hitayezu, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said.

“We have in the past arrested people defrauding car owners at mechanical inspection centres promising to help them cheat the inspection process; there are those who con people promising them driver’s license and those who guise as officials from the ombudsman office. People should be aware that such conmen exist; always seek to know the identities of such people and above all make sure that you are not breaking the law in anything you do,” said SSP Hitayezu.