The suspects were arrested red-handed in possession of 46 metres of electric cables, which they cut from different homes.
“The cables were connecting homes from electricity poles and because of this vandalism and theft of cable, they experienced power outage,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamduni Twizeyimana, the Eastern region Police spokesperson, said.
The criminal acts were reported by the affected residents, he added.
“Police worked with the residents to identify those behind the criminal acts. On Thursday night at about 10pm, when some homes experienced the same issue, they immediately called the Police and local leaders and the suspects were located and arrested red-handed with the cables,” said CIP Twizeyimana.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Mukarange station for further investigation and legal process.
Article 182 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general states that “any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions, which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.”
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three (3) years and not more than five (5) years with a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million.
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