In the recent past, a number of driving school instructors have been arrested together with their students for attempting to offer bribes to Police officers so as to unlawfully pass driving tests.
In the latest development, one Jean De Dieu Rizinde, 39, a driving instructor in City of Kigali was arrested on Monday, February 28, after it emerged that he took Rwf100,000 from one of his students, apparently to bribe a supervising Police officer at the driving test site in Gasabo District.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, said that Rizinde was reported by the affected driving candidate.
“The student, who had successfully completed the first driving test for ‘Category C’, took the right decision to report Rizinde for his unscrupulous and criminal behaviours. The candidate had sent him Rwf40,000 on mobile account, which has been verified, and other Rwf60,000 cash in hand, which he was also caught with,” CP Kabera said.
He advised aspiring drivers to desist from such criminal shortcuts and to report anyone that attempts to lure them into such malpractices.
“Acquiring a driver’s license is done in a clear and lawful process. People should erase the thinking that they will acquire the permit through bribes, which only puts them in prison for something avoidable. Driving school instructors should equally lead by example to train their students to pass the tests but not to tempt them into criminal behaviours,” CP Kabera said.
He thanked the candidate, who did the right thing to report the driving instructor, who was handed handed over to RIB at Muhima station.
Article 174 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general, states that; any person who, by deception, obtains another person’s property, whole or part of his/her finance by use of false names or qualifications, or who offers positive promises or who threatens of future misfortunes, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two (2) years and not more than three (3) years, and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million.
Article 4 of law n° 54/2018 of 13/08/2018 on fighting against corruption states; any person who solicits, accepts or receives, by any means, an illegal benefit for himself/ herself or another person or accepts a promise in order to render or omit a service under his or her mandate or uses his or her position to render or omit a service, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of more than five years but not more than seven years with a fine of three to five times the value of the illegal benefit offered, solicited or received.
Penalties provided under this article also apply to a person, who offers or promises to offer a benefit, by any means, an illegal benefit for him/ herself or another person to have a service rendered or omitted.
Leave a Reply