Musemakweri was at the time attempting to sneak the minerals into Rwanda from the Uganda, Nyarugina Village, Nyamabuye Cell in Kagogo Sector.
The District Police Civic Education Officer (DPCEO) for the Northern Region, Superitendent of Police (SP) Alex Ndayisenga, said that the suspect was reported by local residents, who at first thought that he was smuggling second hand clothes.
“Police received information from residents in Nyamabuye reporting Musemakweri, who had sacks of consignments, which they suspected to be second hand clothes and had crossed into Rwanda from Uganda. Police swiftly mounted a check point in Nyarugina village where a cab that Musemakweri had hired to transport the mineral was stopped, the driver fled but the suspected smuggler was arrested and minerals seized,” SP Ndayisenga said.
Musemakweri, the alleged rightful owner of the minerals, said that he was going to sell them to another dealer in City of Kigali.
SP Ndayisenga thanked residents, who shared information that led to the arrest of the suspect and seizure of the smuggled minerals.
The suspect was handed over to RIB at Cyanika station for further legal process.
Article 54 of the law N° 58/2018 of 13/08/2018 on mining and quarry operations, states that; any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.
Under article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is also applicable in Rwanda, seized smuggled goods and automobile used in smuggling, are auctioned. The driver also faces a fine of US$5000.
{{Tax fraud}}
A taxpayer, who commits fraud, is subject to an administrative fine of one hundred percent (100%) of the evaded tax.
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