Fanny Nyinawintore, 21, Joshua Munyeragwe, 34, and Damascene Ngendahimana, 31, were caught red-handed with 1kg of Wolfram, which they had excavated in the concession owned by Wolfram Mining and Processing Company (WMPC) Limited.
The Eastern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamduni Twizeyimana said that the suspects were arrested due to a tip off by local residents.
“Residents in Nkondo reported a group of people, who were conducting illegal mining activities in the concession owned by WMPC Ltd. Police swiftly responded to the information and the trio was arrested red-handed excavating minerals. They had already excavated 1kg of minerals,” SP Twizeyimana said.
SP Twizeyimana thanked the residents for reporting illegal mining acts. He urged the public to continue sharing information on anyone involved in unlawful mineral practices which sometimes result into loss of lives.
The suspects and exhibits were handed over to RIB at Rwinkwavu station 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 Frw1 million and not more than Frw5 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.
Leave a Reply