{Police is holding four men who were arrested in connection with circulating of counterfeit currencies worth Rwf28,000.}
The four suspects were identified as Jafari Mpakaniye, François Mwizerwa, Jean Claude Mugabo and Jean de Dieu Mutsinzi – all residents of Kayonza.
According to the Eastern Region Police Spokesperson, Inspector of Police (IP) Emmanuel Kayigi one of the suspects, Mpakaniye, was arrested with fake money of 2000 notes worth Rwf20, 000 while Mwizerwa, Mugabo, and Mutsinzi , were arrested separately in Murindi sector with different fake notes of 1000 and 2000 amounting to Rwf 8,000.
The suspects were arrested as they attempted to purchase items using the fake notes.
“We were tipped by traders who encountered these men and we quickly moved in and apprehended them. Currently, Mpakaniye is held at Mukarange police station while the other three are held at Rukara Police station as investigations proceed,” said IP Kayigi.
He went on to add that, “the use and manufacture of fake currency is not a big problem in Rwanda, however less it is, it is not acceptable and can’t be ignored. Such crimes are curbed through collaboration and partnership with police – and we commend all residents who provided information that facilitate the investigations that lead to the arrest of these suspects. Let us continue to work together through community policing and protect our country from any form of threat..”
He also called upon the business community to put in place gadgets, such as electronic money counters and other machines that detect the quality of currency.
Articles 601 to 602 of the Rwandan penal code criminalize and punish those who falsify or alter coins and bills which are legal tender. The articles also punish those, who knowingly circulates fake monies and those who acquires fake currencies unknowingly, but circulates them after discovering they are counterfeit.
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