Rwanda National Police

In the last week of January 2015, Police conducted several notable activities that are geared towards enforcing law and order, and as we prepare for February, let us review some of the key events that happened last week.

First firefighting course ends at Gishari Training School

The first ever firefighting course at the Police Training School in Gishari, Rwamagana District, was successfully concluded on January 30, as a bolster to extinguishing fire outbreaks before they harm lives or property.

The course involved 60 police officers and 39 civilians who spent three months training in both general firefighting techniques and specialized areas of expertise, including rescue operations, fire suppression and search operations.

The grandaunts received their certificates in a ceremony officiated by the state Minister of Education in charge of TVET, Albert Nsengiyunva, in the presence of other dignitaries including Minister of Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Halerimana and Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana, among others.

Police has standby fire trucks ready to tackle fire outbreaks wherever they may occur in the country, while it also established a toll free number, 111, which citizens can call for emergency in case of a fire outbreak.

CID officers complete training

In the same spirit of capacity building, Police officers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) completed a five-day training on January 30, designed to promote their investigation capabilities in line with building a credible justice system in Rwanda.

The twenty officers were commended by the Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana, who officiated at the closing of the training at the RNP headquarters in Kacyiru.

IGP Gasana encouraged the officers to use their newly acquired skills in promoting the professionalism and quality of investigations.

In 2012, Rwanda National Police (RNP) launched the CID School as a centre of excellence to further facilitate crime investigation through continuous training.

The building has three conference halls with capacity to accommodate over 120 people, and has been at the helm of offering refresher courses for police officers, mostly in crime investigation and intelligence.

Police warns public on randomly found explosives

In efforts to improve safety and security, Rwanda National Police appealed to the general public to be wary of suspicious objects that could be explosives and report them to officials as soon as possible.

The call followed four separate cases on January 27, where grenades were recovered in Rubavu, Nyagatare and Burera Districts.

They were first discovered by residents, who reported to Police before they could cause any damage.

Locals were constructing a pit latrine in Bugeshi Sector, Rubavu District, when one of them discovered a 60mm mortar shell. The situation happened in the same district in Rugererero Sector, when a farmer found a grenade while he was digging.

Other incidents occurred in Nyagatare District, Rukomo Sector, where a local found a rusty grenade as he was collecting grass, and in Burera District, Kinyababa Sector, where a farmer discovered a 60mm shell in his garden.

All areas were secured and marked by Police and further action is being conducted.

Police also reminded the public that there is no criminal liability to any person who surrenders a weapon voluntarily – and therefore, urged those who are still possessing firearms and explosives illegally, or have information of their whereabouts, to voluntarily hand them to security organs or local authorities.

RNP hand over recovered money to Uganda Police

Due to the good cooperation between Rwanda National Police and counterpart forces from neighboring countries, RNP on January 29 handed over half a million francs to Ugandan authorities, after it was recovered from a suspected thief who had crossed into Rwanda.

The money was handed over by Commissioner for Interpol, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tony Kuramba, to Ugandan Police Assistant Commissioner of Police, Patrick Lawot, at the RNP Headquarters in Kacyiru.

The suspected thief is a 26 year old Burundian national, Shadrack Mugwaneza, who was arrested in a lodge in Nyabugogo on January 20, shortly after he had arrived in Kigali from Kampala.

Uganda’s Assistant Commissioner of Police, Patrick Lawot, commended RNP for its professionalism and high level of trust indicated by handing over the money.

 “Through Interpol, RNP shares critical information on criminals – a culture which has reduced cross-border crimes.

Police recovers construction materials stolen from Chinese firm

In another example of swift action and professionalism, RNP recovered about 460 construction pipes worth Rwf14 million that were stolen from China Civil Engineering  Construction Company (CCECC) offices in Kinyinya sector in Gasabo district.

The materials stolen on January 20, were recovered seven days later in a church in Kibagabaga, Kimironko sector.

The vehicle and the construction materials were handed back to the owners, yesterday

Police Spokesperson, Chief Supt Celestin Twahirwa said the theft was orchestrated by some company employees and he appealed to companies and the business community to be security sensitive to protect their equipment.

Kenyan intercepted with cocaine at Kigali Airport

In concerted efforts against drugs trafficking and cross-border crimes, a 45-year-old Kenyan woman was on January 30 arrested at Kigali International Airport in possession of 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine estimated to be worth Rwf85 million.

Lovini Wanjiru Njoroge was in transit to Burundi from Brazil through Addis Ababa. The cocaine in five small packages was discovered concealed in ladies bags.

Police Spokesperson, Chief Supt. Celestin Twahirwa said Interpol Kigali received information suspecting Njoroge to be carrying the illegal drug.

RNP followed all her movements from Sao Paulo on her way to Burundi through Addis Ababa, and was stopped at Kigali Airport at about 1:30pm. Police officers at the airport checked and discovered five sachets of cocaine masked in ladies bags.

When you look at previous drug trafficking cases reported at Kigali Airport, it is evident that it’s the same method drug traffickers use to try to confuse law enforcement agencies by concealing cocaine in luggage – and RNP has revised methods to ensure that Rwanda doesn’t become either a destination or transit route,” he added.

Police intercept smuggled medicine

The public was further protected from a bout of unsafe products, when on January 25, Pharmaceutical drugs including 40 cartons of Coartem and 3, 000 tablets of Bactrim were intercepted yesterday in Nyagatare district as they were being smuggled from Uganda.

The drugs which also include 30 malaria test tube apparatuses were seized in Nyagatare sector as they were being transported on a motorcycle.

One person identified as Leonard Habamahirwe, who was transporting the drugs, was also apprehended and currently detained at Nyagatare Police station as investigations continue.

Although border communities are prone to smuggling and other cross-border illegal activities through porous borders, there are measures in place to curb such acts including snap checks, community policing where locals take the responsibility of fighting such acts and working neighboring police to intercept such illegal commodities and apprehend criminals.

In December last year, counterfeit and illicit goods including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and alcoholic drinks valued at over Rwf14.5 million have been seized in Rwanda in an ongoing Interpol-backed regional operation code named ‘FAGIA Operation.

Police calls for more assistance to defilement victims

Police called on the general public to immediately report defilement cases once they occur in order to facilitate justice for the victims.

This followed an incident on January 26, when police arrested a man suspected of defiling a three year old girl.

The 28 year old man was at the time of the crime working as a houseboy at the girl’s parents’ home in Remera, Gasabo District.

Although the girl had allegedly been defiled on January 14, her parents delayed to report the case until January 26, which may have given the suspect enough time to interfere with evidence or to escape before being arrested.

Police reminded the general public that when a child is sexually assaulted, help must be availed to them in the littlest time possible if they are to heal completely.

Police has the ability, skills and knowledge to conduct quality investigations in such cases, but timely information is very crucial.

Police arrests man with counterfeit money

A man identified as Firmin Habumugisha was arrested while distributing fake currency for transport services from a special hire taxi.

The suspect was arrested following a tip off from the special hire driver, who noticed that he had been given fake money by his two passengers.

Police commended the driver for his actions and reminded the general public to work with Police in the element of community policing, by providing timely information that can lead to the arrest of suspects or the prevention of criminal activities.

Counterfeit or forged money is not considered a major problem in Rwanda, but one cannot ignore the fact that there are forged currency notes in circulation, in various denominations, and can haunt the economy if not checked collectively at an early stage.