The vehicle registration number RAC 963F was intercepted on Friday, February 5, at about 5:30am at Nyabarongo bridge, en route to Kigali.<\/p>\n
The coltan and cassiterite minerals were concealed in five sacks.<\/p>\n
Six people, who were on board, including the driver identified as Anderson Nshimiyimana, 45, were also taken into custody.<\/p>\n
Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said the smugglers were reported by a resident of Rukoma Sector in Kamonyi District, from where the minerals were loaded in the vehicle.<\/p>\n
“A resident called the Police at about 4am reporting people, who were loading minerals in the vehicle and suspected a foul-play. The resident provided details including the type of vehicle and plate numbers,” SP Kanamugire said.<\/p>\n
Police, he added, got to know that the minerals would be transported to Kigali.<\/p>\n
“With detailed information about the fraud, a roadblock was mounted at Nyabarongo bridge where the vehicle was intercepted, minerals seized and all the six people who were aboard the same vehicle taken into castody,” said SP Kanamugire.<\/p>\n
He identified the other five people on board as Daniel Ukurikiyeyezu, Jean Claude Nzayisenga, Bosco Uzabakiriho, Francis Nizeyimana and Jean Damascene Hakizimana.<\/p>\n
The suspects claimed that the minerals belong to a mineral company operating in Kicukiro District but could not produce any supporting document.<\/p>\n
Besides, minerals are supposed to be tagged and with legal documents before they are transported from one place to another.<\/p>\n
“They first lied that they got the minerals from Karongi District little did they know that this was a planned operation based on credible information. It is also alleged that the minerals were mined illegally in closed concessions located in Rukoma Sector.”<\/p>\n
The spokesperson thanked the resident, who reported the unlawful act.<\/p>\n
“They minerals were mined and transported illegally by unlicensed people,” he said.<\/p>\n
Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; \u201cany person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence commits an offence.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
The court also may order confiscation of any seized minerals in storage, trading or processing without a license.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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