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Kinyarwanda
Last month, Alphonse Minani (not real name), a businessman in Kigali reported a case at the Criminal Investigation Department in Kacyiru of a would-be buyer who dupped him of Rwf5 million.
According to Minani, he was approached by a man, who claimed that he had won a tender to supply bearings, a vehicle spare part, to Strabag, a road construction company.
"He told me that a tender was worth Rwf7 million, of which Rwf2 million was interest. He told me he didn't have the money at the time and requested me to be a partner"
Minani was given contacts of a person who claimed to head the tender committee in Strabag, who collaborated the business information.
Minani was then connected to a group of other men, who claimed to be the only ones with these spare parts at a cheaper price. He paid them Rwf5 million for the spare parts.
However, this was the last time he had from his 'business partner,' the man who claimed to be heading the tender committee at Strabag or the men that sold him the equipment as their known contacts were off by this moment.
Minani was to be told later by friends that he had been defrauded and the so called bearing spare parts were actually spare parts of a maize sewing machine, which are actually not even worth Rwf100, 000.
These are some of the tricks fraudsters use to dupe targeted people, including the business community.
According to Senior Supt. Eric Kanyabuganza, director for economic crimes under CID, at least 326 cases of fraud were registered last year.
Victims include the so called elite business people, who are lured in myth businesses that involve millions of money.
"These are well organized, coordinated and planned crimes that are facilitated by modern technology," said SSP Kanyabuganza.
"We have also received cases of people who claim to be selling minerals and lure business people into buying or transporting them abroad with promises of a certain percentage after sell, after paying this money, that is the last time you will hear from them. At times they will also tell you to pay their air tickets, they go with you to that country where they claim to be having a potential buyer or where they claim to have their stores. Any step you take, the more they will keep conning you more money," he explained.
Another group of conmen, he noted, involve people who call people telling them that they have won a jackpot; others use a teen girl who claim that a man in target wanted to defile her and they agree on a certain amount not to be reported to Police; others claim to be working for a certain telecom company and ask for a bribe or keep asking them transport while others are so smart to get money from some individuals claiming they can make them genuine dollar notes.
"There are others who masquerade as employees of a certain commercial bank and get bribes from people promising to help them acquire loans while others allege to be having jobs and in the end they take your laptop or money from you."
"People need to beware of such criminal groups. How can someone call you and tell you that you have won a lottery that you didn't participate in and then you go an extra mile and you deposit a certain money on a given phone account as a prerequisite to claim your prize," he wondered.
He appealed to the general public to work with police by reporting such people and victims to always rush to report to facilitate fast investigations and timely arrest of suspects to face the law.
Under article 318 of the penal code, any person who, intentionally obtains a property belonging to another person fraudulently or by using false names or qualities, to give rise to hope or fear of harm and obtains a part or whole of a fortune shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million.
