They were arrested in mining concessions, according to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamduni Twizeyimana, Eastern region Police spokesperson.
He identified the suspects as Samuel Uzaribara and Fred Gisubizo, who were arrested red-handed in a wolfram concession located in Ryamutumo Village, Nyamugali Cell in Mwili Sector.
One Clementine Nyiramisago was also arrested in Gahengeri Village, Bunyetongo Cell, Murama Sector.
CIP Twizeyimana said that all the illegal miners were reported by security guards protecting the concessions.
“Police received information on Thursday at about 6am, from security guards at Ryamutumo mining concession that there was two people who were excavating minerals. An operation was swiftly conducted and Uzaribara and Gisubizo were found with traditional tools they were using to excavate minerals. They also had 10kgs of unprocessed wolfram,” said CIP Twizeyimana.
On the same day, he added, at about 1pm, Police received another call reporting Nyiramisago, who was seen leaving a cassiterite concession in Murama sector.
Nyiramisago was arrested with 3kgs of cassiterite.
CIP Twizeyimana warned against those involved in unlawful mineral related practices which in some cases result into loss of lives.
He further thanked the guards for reporting such illegal mining acts and urged the public to share information on such unlawful practices.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Mwili and Murama stations 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.
Among others; a total of 1399 have succumbed to the virus since Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020.
The Ministry has also revealed that the country confirmed 533 new COVID-19 cases out of 15,000 sample tests, 10 people have been hospitalized bringing the total number of patients admitted at treatment centres to 45 of whom nine are critically ill.
Rwandans have been reminded of the critical importance of continuing to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures including proper wearing of face masks, frequently wash hands, keeping social distancing and receiving vaccine shots.
Ingabire was ordained priest on 21st August 2021 and assigned pastoral duties in Kizimyamuriro in Buruhukiro sector of Nyamagabe district.
The Bishop of Gikongoro Diocese, Célestin Hakizimana has told IGIHE that he also heard about the resignation adding that the priest himself knows the reason behind the resignation.
A letter that went viral on social media, apparently written by Father Ingabire reads that the resignation has nothing to do with his calling but the ‘Bishop of Gikongoro Diocese declined to support me and give attention to my concerns’.
Gikongoro Diocese is expected to review the letter and react to the priest’s resignation.
Efforts to contact the priest remained futile as his phone was off by press time.
On 20th September 2021, the High Court Special Chamber for International and Cross-border crimes convicted them of different charges including terrorism.
The court convicted former President of MRCD-FLN terrorist group, Paul Rusesabagina of terrorism charges and handed him 25-year jail term while Callixte Nsabimana alias Sankara, the former spokesperson for the terror group was sentenced to 20 years behind bars.
The remaining nineteen co-accused individuals were sentenced from three to 20 years.
Following the ruling, the accused, plaintiffs and the Prosecution were given 30 days for appeal
Later on, it was said that 13 of convicts and 74 survivors of FLN attacks who sought compensation expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment separately and filed an appeal.
During trial proceedings, 94 survivors of the attacks sought over Rwf1 billion but the court resolved that few of them would get compensated and the amount was below demanded compensation.
Towards the end of last year; the Prosecutor General, Aimable Havugiyaremye said that the appeal was filed following dissatisfaction with verdicts.
He also revealed that the Prosecution was not happy with the acquittal of Rusesabagina on the formation of an irregular armed group and handed sentence among others.
Rusesabagina who did not appeal against the 25-year jail term, had boycotted the court during trial proceedings citing zero expectation of fair trial.
The convicts faced charges including the formation of an irregular armed group, membership of a terrorist group, financing terrorism, murder as an act of terrorism, arson as an act of terrorism, attempted murder as an act of terrorism, and assault and battery as an act of terrorism.
The crimes were committed since 2018 when MRDC/FLN combatants plotted attacks to Rwanda which claimed lives of nine innocent residents in the Southern Province.
They left many others gravely injured, and caused significant material and economic damage in South-West Rwanda.
They include Egide Ndikumana, 31, who was arrested Thursday, January 13, in Busasamana Sector, Nyanza District with a fabricated Covid-19 test message.
Abdoul Twaha, 30, who was also arrested on Wednesday, January 12, at Kamembe driving test centre in Rusizi District with a forged identity card and provisional driving licence in the names of one Issa Mwizerwa.
Their arrest came two days after other seven people were also apprehended at the driving test sites in Huye and Nyamagabe districts with forged ID cards and falsified RBC Covid-19 test results.
The Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the suspects were identified as Police officers were checking the candidates’ documents.
“When Police officers at Busasamana site were checking whether the driving candidates fulfill the requirements, they noticed that Ndikumana had edited a Covid-19 test message, which had been sent to his wife,” SP Kanamugire said.
For Abdoul Twaha, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Western region spokesperson, said that he was trying to do the practical driving tests for one Issa Mwizerwa.
“Twaha had a forged provisional driving licence and identity card. The ID card was in Issa Mwizerwa’s names but bearing Twaha’s photo. When searched, Twaha was found with a service card of one of the local transport companies where he was already a driver,” said CIP Karekezi.
According to Twaha, Mwizerwa had promised to pay him Frw300,000 after passing the driving tests.
He urged those inspiring to be drivers to be first train and be equipped with competent knowledge and skills, follow due process to be good drivers and avoid imprisonment.
The suspects were handed over to RIB for further legal process as the search for accomplices is still ongoing.
Article 276 of the law determining offences and penalties in general states that any person, who in any manner, forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging agreements, its provisions, obligations, or discharged obligations, commits an offence.
Any person who, with fraudulent intention, produces a false written document, causes to write false statements or produces a conflicting declaration, is considered to commit the offence of forgery.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years but not more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The fire prevention awareness was conducted by the Fire and Rescue Brigade (FRB) at the Police Marine headquarters in Maziba Village, Kaguriro Cell, Bushonyi Sector of Rutsiro District.
The commanding officer for FRB, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Paul Gatambira, said that the training will be extended to all police officers in marine unit.
On Friday, he said, the training will be extended to Marine officers operating at Burera and Ruhondo marine offices.
“We have been conducting training and raising awareness on fire safety in various institutions, it is in the same line to also equip Police officers with the same basic skills to prevent fire outbreak and to respond to basic fire emergencies,” ACP Gatambira said.
The training, he added, looks at fire prevention measures, causes and components of fire, fire-fighting techniques as well as how to use and protect fire-fighting equipment.
Shyaka,30, is the owner of a YouTube channel dubbed ‘Ijwi ry’Imfubyi’ translated as ‘The Voice of Orphans’ where he propagated revisionist agenda.
The man’s plot to flee the country was facilitated by a female Rwandan called Eugénie Muhayimana living in New Castle, United Kingdom who works with Uganda’s CMI.
Shyaka has two children who live at his home in Nyamabuye cell, Byumba sector of Gicumbi district.
Following his return, IGIHE has visited him at his home in Nyamabuye cell where he talked about his plans to flee the country and the collaboration he has had with CMI.
Information about his abduction went viral on social media since June 2021, particularly disseminated through platforms owned by members of a subversive group intending to tarnish Rwanda.
{{How it began}}
In April 2021, Shyaka featured in a talk show on ‘Umurabyo TV’, a YouTube channel owned by Agnes Nkusi Uwimana who is criticized for airing talks fuelling Genocide ideology.
Speaking to IGIHE, Shyaka said that he was first contacted by Uwimana who requested him to feature in her next YouTube talk show but dictated him what to say with a promise of financial support.
“Cyuma Hassan gave her my phone number. She called me and promised financial support if I agreed to feature in her talk show. She invited me at the headquarters of Rwanda Media Commission [RMC] in Remera and informed me that I wouldn’t receive any help if I refused to speak what he dictated me. So, I did what she obliged me,” he said.
“Agnes Uwimana is the first person who dragged me into revisionism agenda to talk about Hutus and Tutsis. I shared my phone number I started appearing in the talk shows. That is when people, majority of whom living abroad started contacting me and sending money,” added Shyaka.
As the man explained, he abandoned his construction job as he started receiving regular calls from members of the subversive group promising financial support.
Some of people who sent money include Eugénie Muhayimana who expressed interest in his talk show and pledged support. At the time, Muhayimana sent 50 pounds equivalent to Rwf70,000.
“She called me like others had been doing regularly, informed me that she wanted to send me some money because she liked my talk show. She sent me 50 pounds via my wife’s account in BK,” Shyaka disclosed.
Shyaka narrated that Muhayimana continued to call him every day until she promised him a house in Kigali.
“He stood by my side and called me regularly that we used to hold conversations for many hours every day. She told me her background and asked me to link her to my elder brother and wife. I shared their phone numbers with her that they started chatting,” he said.
As time went by, Muhayimana advised Shyaka to open a YouTube channel to air songs and talk shows advocating for underprivileged people.
“Since then, I opened a YouTube channel called ‘Ijwi ry’Imfubyi’ where I started airing talks. I had a small phone at the time. I added few amount of money to Rwf100,000 received from a member of the subversive group to buy a smart phone which I used to record talk shows to be uploaded on YouTube,” he revealed.
{{Plan to escape}}
During Muhayimana’s regular conversations with Shyaka, she often told him that he would be kidnapped one day.
“She used to tell me that I would be kidnapped, killed or incarcerated. There were more people who used to talk about the same thing but some of them declined to introduce themselves. Between 1st and 25th June, Muhayimana started asking me to flee the country that plans to kill me were underway. When I asked how I would escape, she promised me to take me to the United Kingdom,” he said.
Shyaka agreed with Muhayimana who facilitated him to flee to one of countries in East Africa.
Initially, Muhayimana advised Shyaka to seek a travel permit.
Following delay in issuance of the permit, she started putting pressure on him to escape as soon as possible lest he would be abducted.
“He assured me that I would be helped to flee to Uganda like they had facilitated other people and asked me to confirm whether I accept to leave the country where I was targeted for abduction. She asked me to travel to Musanze where I had to be helped to cross to Uganda,” he said.
Shyaka informed her wife who insisted that they should escape through Gatuna instead of Musanze.
On 22nd August 2021, Shyaka who was living in Kigali separately from his children who had stayed with their grandmother, went to Gatuna along with his wife.
“Upon arrival at Gatuna, I had my identity card but my wife didn’t. That is when he was arrested by security officials at the border. I escaped and returned to Byuma where I spent a night and woke up in the wee hours to travel to Musanze as I had been advised by Muhayimana,” he divulged.
“As I arrived in Musanze, a motorcyclist rode me to a place that I was not familiar with. I gave him Rwf5000 and returned the balance of Rwf1000. He took me to a tall dark-skinned man who also linked me to two children in the age bracket between 14 and 16. We trekked a long distance through dense banana plantation and stony ground,” Shyaka added.
At that time, Muhayimana had linked Shyaka to a woman living in Kampala.
The two children took him to a place where he met with smugglers with packages of illicit brew known as Kanyanga and clothes. Shyaka was then told that he reached the destination.
“I met the woman who took me to Kisoro town. That is when I rested assured that I have reached Uganda,” he revealed.
{{Collaboration with CMI}}
As Shyaka arrived in Kisoro, he was welcomed by a person called ‘Bo’ who went with him to a home where he found many Kinyarwanda-speaking people.
“I guessed it was Boy’s job because there were many people. He traveled with them in batches until my turn was reached. He took me to a Police station in Kisoro. Upon arrival, I called Muhayimana informing her that I had started facing issues. Muhayimana talked to people who were guiding me. They took me to a place known as Kyabira,”he said.
Before the travel, Muhayimana had advised Shyaka to introduce himself as his brother wherever he goes.
Arriving in Kyabira, Shyaka said that he was fleeing Rwanda over attempted abduction associated with talk shows aired on his YouTube channel.
On 23rd August 2021, he was taken to Kisoro Police Station from where he was taken to another place the following day.
Shyaka narrated that he was taken in a ‘Pandagari’, a vehicle that transports suspected criminals or detainees accompanied by two soldiers including one with the rank of captain.
“Upon arrival at the destination, I heard them speaking in English that they have handed me over. There was also a female soldier who asked me whether I was a journalist or spy. I was dropped there and taken to a detention facility where I saw many detainees, some of them seeming to be Rwandans. The soldier who accompanied me told his colleagues that I was not a criminal,” he disclosed.
Shyaka went on to explain that he was left at the facility and detained in a small room that had been previously used as a toilet.
“I was lodged in a very small room that was previously used as a latrine. They brought me a mattress on which I had to sleep but security officers who accompanied me had returned. I was served porridge in the morning as well as maize bread for lunch and dinner,” he said.
Three days later staying in the same room, a soldier took him to his superior called Captain Habyarimana John with office on the second floor.
“He was the first person I heard speaking Kinyarwanda since I arrived at the facility. The soldier told me that he had my dossier and asked me how I got there. I narrated how I lived in Rwanda and circumstances under which I fled the country,” he noted.
After two weeks, Shyaka revealed, he started receiving his phone to talk to Muhayimana. All contacts had been deleted except the latter’s number.
“Muhayimana started telling me that she sent money to Captain Habyarimana John to treat me decently in the detention facility,” he said.
{{Refugee status}}
As IGIHE visited Shyaka at his home in Gicumbi district on Thursday 13th January 2022, he showed us the documents granting him refugee status issued by Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister.
After spending 68 days, Shyaka revealed that he was interrogated at different times by Captain Habyarimana to provide more details about his situation in Rwanda.
He was once taken to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and later taken to a lodge.
“I was taken to the Office of Prime Minister escorted by two soldiers with small guns. They recorded my fingerprints, signature and got all relevant information about me,” Shyaka disclosed.
“Muhayimana was the person behind plans to release me from CMI detention facility to pick the document from OPM. However, I was not aware of all the procedures involved until I obtained the document. Since then, I never returned to CMI facility but rather was linked to Major John Nawamanya who took me to a lodge where I was housed,” he added.
Since then, Shyaka disclosed that he received his phone and the document granting him refugee status issued by Prime Minister.
He started receiving calls from people including Matata Joseph and Freeman Bikorwa among others who asked him to propagate talks tarnishing Rwanda.
“Muhayimana started telling me to freely air views that I feared to express in Rwanda. You have identifications, you are going to live with your children but you need to express your views freely as you are safe in Uganda,” Shyaka revealed.
Muhayimana had already helped Shyaka’s children to cross to Uganda by the time he he was granted refugee status. Shyaka planned to return home soon as he was taken to live with his children in Uganda.
The beverage producers were closed down during a campaign launched in the province with a view to curb substandard foods and beverages.
The campaign started last week following incidents where people died after drinking different types of beers.
The Governor of Eastern Province, Emmanuel Gasana has said that the campaign is being rolled out in partnership with relevant institutions including Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) and Rwanda Standards Board (RSB).
“We are conducting an assessment with special attention to foods and beverage producers to make sure they are not harmful to Rwandans following incidences where people fell sick after consuming such products,” he said.
In the past years, Gasana revealed, there has been cases of producers penalized for making illicit drinks including Ibikwangara, Muriture and Urumarajipo among others.
Gasana explained that such illicit drinks are often produced using harmful ingredients that results into diseases or deaths.
He underscored that it is the major reason why a crackdown has been launched to close substandard beverage producers.
“We want to conduct the assessment in all sectors. We have so far identified two substandard beverage producers under this campaign rolled out in Eastern Province,” Gasana divulged.
The campaign does not only target beverage companies but also individuals producing beer for business reasons.
He urged Rwandans to avoid drinking substandard beverages lest their health is exposed to risk.
Eastern Province registers 201 foods and beverage companies of which the majority is based in Rwamagana and Bugesera district.
As the protests started in the morning of Thursday 13th January 2022, taxi moto operators turned up in groups while others rode through different parts of Kigali beeping horns to attract authorities’ attention.
Groups of motorcyclists have been seen gathered in different parts of the city including Muhima, Nyamirambo, Gikondo, Gishushu and the city centre.
They rose concerns over of huge amount deducted from revenue margin and hiking motorbike insurance premium.
Simpari Shema Pierre is among taxi moto operators who participated in the protests nearby former premises of Nyarugenge Prison known as 1930. He revealed that they have staged strikes to demand action.
“We want our problems solved because the provider of the fare meter is deducting a high percentage from our revenue margin. For instance, the fare meter deducts Rwf300 per every earned Rwf2000,” he said.
Shema went on to explain that they did not receive enough details about all charges related to the use of fare meters.
“We are complaining about the high cost of using fare meters and expensive insurance premium. We were promised that the cost would be cut down but nothing was done. Besides, Yego Moto is charging a high percentage yet we were not aware of it,” he said.
As for current prices, a passenger is necessitated to pay Rwf300 for the first two kilometres while the previous fare of Rwf133 per kilometre for the rest of the journey has been dropped to Rwf107.
The tariff changes from Rwf107 to Rwf187 when covered distance goes beyond 40 kilometres.
Taxi motor operators receive fare meters from Yego Moto for free but the provider deducts particular amount on every payment.
A taxi moto operator dodging the fare meter is charged Rwf30,000 fine.
The mandatory use of fare meters in Kigali City went into effect on 7th January 2022.
“We are offended because we pay all dues and make contributions to motorcyclists’ cooperative which seem to be idle. We are disappointed to see the fare meters charging 15% of revenue margin,” lamented another motorcyclist called Innocent Bizimungu.
Taxi moto operators have also complained about insurance premium which increased three folds.
For the past three years, motorbike insurance premium rose from Rwf45,000 to Rwf153,200 for a motorcycle that was manufactured five years ago or less.
The premium increased to more than Rwf180, 000 for those that were made more than 10 years ago.
Motorcyclists have demanded that the prices be revised and reduced to a reasonable amount.
Insurers attribute the hike in motorbike insurance cost to heavy bills paid in compensations for injuries or deaths caused by taxi motor accidents.
Many insurance companies in the country do not provide insurance package for motorbikes due to incurred losses. Radiant Insurance is currently the only company providing motorbike insurance in the country.
