{Two people have been arrested in connection with attempting to extort money from businessmen in Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts and threatening to cause harm to their families if they don’t comply}
Hussein Karangwa alias Mahungu and Frank Mugabo were arrested early this week, separately, following about two weeks of investigations.
{{How they did it}}
Assistant Commissioner of Police Theos Badege, Commissioner for Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said the duo have been issuing death threats to businessmen demanding that they deposit money on provided mobile money account.
“On October 9, two businessmen in Nyagatare and Gatsibo filed a case about unknown people who were sending them threatening SMS and calling them demanding money and further threatening that if they don’t do so, they will torch their houses and do harm to their families,” ACP Badege explained.
“On October 11, a brewery depot in Ryabega in Nyagatare of one of the businessmen that the suspects had contacted was actually torched and a house of another trader in Gatsibo at a place called Cyangarama was also set ablaze but the fire was put out before escalating,”
“Later, four other businessmen also received same threats and here, criminals demanded Rwf500, 000 and told them that what happened in Ryabega and Cyangarama will also befall them, if they don’t comply.”
ACP Badege explained that the two, who have been imprisoned on several occasions went into hiding since.
“After through investigations, we identified who these people were and arrested them.”
This is the third time Karangwa has been arrested. He was previously arrested and imprisoned for drug trafficking and fraud while Mugabo was also imprisoned for cattle rustling.
“Investigations are still ongoing to find out other people involved because all the phone numbers they used to call and threaten people are registered in other people’s names,”
“The threat is now over, the situation has been contained and those that were facing these threats should feel relaxed,”
“These are unusual serious criminal activities and anyone planning to engage in such are advised to refrain because they will be arrested.”
{{Offences}}
He said the duo will face written threats and arson charges under articles 172 and 398 of the penal code, respectively.
Arson attracts a prison sentence of ten to 25 years, if convicted, while anyone found guilty of issuing written threats face a term of imprisonment of between one to three years.
Police
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