Rwanda National Police

Two men were arrested for attempting to corrupt a police officer with a bribe worth Rwf600,000, after their goods had been seized for using fake tax stamps.

The two suspects identified as James Muyenzi and Francois Muvandimwe were arrested on May 7 and are currently held at Kicukiro Police Station as investigations continue.

The Police Spokesperson for the Central Region, Superintendent Modeste Mbabazi, said that Muyenzi's local liquor-making firm, which makes gin brands – was also being investigated for evading tax using forged tax stamps.

“When Police confiscated his merchandise after investigations revealed that he was using a forged stamp to make receipts, he called an officer and told him to drop the case and offered him Rwf600,000. The officer alerted his colleagues and when the suspects arrived with the bribe, he was immediately arrested,” Superintendent Mbabazi said.

“Another suspect is his accomplice. Police doesn't  tolerate corruption. As we have said over and again, anyone who tries to offer bribes will always be disappointed with arrest.”

Superintendent Mbabazi said that the suspects, who initially had been suspected of only one crime of tax evasion, had now attracted another serious charge of bribery, which is heavily punished by the courts of law.

Article 641 of the penal code states that any person who proposes directly or indirectly a gift or any other illegal benefit, to a person in charge of a service, or who promises it in order to render a service or to refrain from carrying out any usual duties, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment between five to seven years and a fine of twice to ten times the value of the illegal benefit he/she offered or promised

Counterfeiting stamps and official marks is also punishable with a term of imprisonment between five to seven years and a fine between Rwf300,000 and Rwf3 million.

Supt Mbabazi called on the general public, particularly the business community, to desist from such practices and instead concentrate on conducting legitimate business.

“It is advisable to always abide by the law and avoid anything that may damage the person’s reputation and also destroy their business. Tax evasion is a challenge that Rwanda has fought hard to keep out, while bribery is also something that we cannot tolerate,” he reiterated.