They are Abraham Akurishaka, 45, Innocent Nsabimana, 30, and Eric Nsabumuremyi, 26.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, said that the trio was arrested separately in operations targeting people, who vandalize electricity infrastructure, selling them as scraps.
“The three men were among those connected to this vandalism,” said CP Kabera.
Akurishaka was arrested in Kigarama Sector of Kicukiro District with tools, which he was using to cut off electricity before vandalising and stealing electricity crossarms and transformer cabinets.
Among the items recovered from Akurishaka include safety helmet, four screwdrivers, an electric plier, voltmeter, silicone rubber strips, and a cutter which he was using to cut tubes.
Meanwhile, Innocent Nsabimana and Eric Nsabumuremyi were apprehended in Nyabugogo, Kimisagara Sector, Nyarugenge District in possession of six pieces of transformer cabinet, which was vandalised in Gicumbi District, recently.
They were at the time looking for buyers.
Nsabimana hails from Gicumbi, where he also owns a hardware shop.
“On Wednesday, February 23, Police officers went to the shop of Nsabimana located in Naya Village, Nyaruka Cell, Cyumba Sector in Gicumbi District where they recovered other several pieces of steel sheets weighing about 300kgs, which were stolen after vandalizing transformer cabinets,” CP Kabera said.
Nsabimana disclosed that he bought the steel sheets from oneJean Damascene Harushyiminsi, who is still at large.
“This is a criminal act caused power outage in homes, leads the government into losses to repair the destroyed infrastructure and affects public safety,” CP Kabera explained.
He urged the public to report protect such infrastructures jealously and report people, who vandalize them.
The suspects were handed over to RIB for further investigation while the search for Harushyiminsi is still ongoing.
Article 182 of the law determining offences and penalties 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 years and not more than five years with a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million.
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