Rwanda National Police

Two people have been arrested in connection with stealing Rwf500, 000 from a businesswoman in Rwamagana District, recently.

It is alleged that the suspects identified as Pascal Ntakirutimana, 25, and Cecile Nyiramahirwe, 23, hatched a plan to steal the money from Laetitia Udusanze, 34, of Rususa Village, Gishore Cell in Nyakariro Sector, Rwamagana District. The two suspects were arrested separately on Sunday in Kigali and Rwamagana, respectively.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie Gorette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said that Ntakirutimana was arrested in Kicukiro District, Gatenga Sector, Nyanza Cell in Gasabo Village.

He was at the time of his arrest found with only Rwf100, 000.

CIP Umutesi said that following the alleged theft and the subsequent lodging of the complaint, law enforcement agencies worked together to identify and arrest prime suspects.

“Law enforcement agencies first arrested Nyiramahirwe in Rwamagana, who was cooperative and identified Ntakirutimana as her accomplice in the whole theft scheme. Through information sharing, Ntakirutimana was located and arrested in Gatenga, Kicukiro District,” CIP Umutesi said.

How they hatched the theft plan

Udusanze, a poultry farmer, recently reached out to Ntakirutimana to get her a house-help.  Udusanze and Ntakirutimana were friends and fellowshipping together in Rwamagana.

According to Udusanze, Ntakirutimana recommended Nyiramahirwe, who started working last week.

Ntakirutimana had for a while tried in vain to borrow money from Udusanze, apparently to top-up and buy land.

Udusanze explained that recently, Ntakirutimana called her and through a “friendly conversation” he asked her where she keeps the money.

Taking him for a friend, Udusanze openly told Ntakirutimana where she keeps money in her house. The following day, money was gone.

According to the maid (Nyiramahirwe), Ntakirutimana sent her to work for Udusanze with the mission to steal the money.

“On July 3, Ntakirutimana called directing me where the money was, I picked it from a closet and gave it to him,” Nyiramahirwe told the Police.

Ntakirutimana admitted to the crime, but said that he got Rwf490, 000 from Nyiramahirwe but not Rwf500, 000 as claimed.

“Ntakirutimana has since been returned to Rwamagana where he committed the crime, and where he will be tried,” CIP Umutesi said.

She advised against keeping big sums of money at home.

 “Financial institutions and other electronic means are accessible everywhere in this country where your money will be safe, no need to take such risks of keeping money in your house,” she advised.