Police in Kicukiro District is holding a man suspected of guising as a police officer and attempting to solicit bribes from desperate driver’s licence seekers, who had failed tests.
The suspect, Rwesa Kigage was caught in the act on June 6, after he had taken a bribe of Rwf150, 000 from one individual identified as Eric Gentil Birasa, who was also attempting to take the illegal shortcut to acquire a permit after failing the tests.
Birasa was also arrested in connection with the illegal act and both suspects are currently held at Kicukiro Police Station as investigations continue.
Chief inspector of Police, Emmanuel Kabanda, spokesperson for the department of traffic and road safety, revealed that a third suspect identified as Muvunyi wa Karemera was arrested on the same day in Remera, Gasabo District after he attempted to also offer a bribe of Rwf150, 000 to a police officer in order to get a license without doing the tests.
“Impersonation, like any other crime, is an ill-advised attempt and a serious crime. There are official channels through which police services are offered and RNP does’t have agents or nonuniform individuals that links its services like driving licence, to the public. Anyone pausing as a police agent is a criminal and should be immediately reported,” CIP Kabanda said.
He noted that operations and investigations will continue to ensure that those in the habit of making and issuing fake licenses are apprehended.
In a bid to ease the process of acquiring driving permits, Police conducts driving license tests in private driving schools on monthly basis, while public tests conducted quarterly.
Police also introduced online registration and provides timely online feedback, among other initiatives.
A driving license is issued within 14 days after a prospective candidate has provided all required documents.
Article 641 of the penal code states that any person who proposes a gift or any other illegal benefit, to a person in charge of a service, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment between five to seven years and a fine twice to ten times the value of the illegal benefit offered or promised.
Counterfeiting official marks is also punishable with a term of imprisonment between five to seven years and a fine ranging from Rwf300,000 to Rwf3 million.
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