{{Police has arrested two Ugandan nationals with fake dollars amounting to US$26, 000 – approximately Rwf16.5 million.}}
The suspects identified as Leonard Tumwesigye 24 and Godfrey Kazinda 28, were arrested on March 26 at a forex bureau in Nyabugogo bus terminal in Nyarugenge District, with the fake dollars, all in US$100 denominations.
The duo was arrested after an employee at the forex bureau (name withheld), where they were apparently trying to exchange the fake dollars, notified police in the area.
He said the suspects, who are currently detained at Nyamirambo Police Station, approached him and tried to sell him the fake dollars at a subsidised exchange rate.
“Tumwesigye came first and told me that he has a friend, who has fake dollar notes which he is selling at a subsidized price. There was no any other way to have them both arrested other than pretending to have accepted their offer,” he said.
The District Police Commander, Superintendent Dismas Rutaganira said though currency counterfeit cases have been reported in the district, those related to dollars are still very few.
He urged owners and employees of forex bureaus to be vigilant and to procure machines that help them to verify currencies they buy.
The Central Region Police Spokesperson Supt Albert N. Gakara warned anyone that could be involved in this criminal act, noting that measures are in place to apprehend them to face the wrath of the law.
According to Article 601 of the penal code, any person who fraudulently counterfeits, falsifies or alters coins, which are legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, bills issued by the state and bearing its stamp or emblem, banknotes, authorised notes or any other related effects used in Rwanda or abroad, or any person who introduces or issues on the Rwandan territory bills or notes which are legal tender with knowledge that they are counterfeit or altered, is liable to a term of imprisonment of more than five to seven years.
Article 603, however, states that “any person who knowingly acquires or receives coins or notes mentioned in Article 601 of this Organic Law, and circulates them to any person, even if he/she is not one of counterfeiters or importers of such monies shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of one year to three years.”
RNP
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