{A man suspected of impersonating Rwanda Energy Group employees and defrauding people has been arrested in Gicumbi District.}
Helpide Mwumvaneza was arrested on January 26 in Kinihira Sector following information provided by one of the would-be victims, police said.
It is alleged that the suspect was charging Rwf350, 000 from each victim, apparently after making them believe that REG intended to put its infrastructures including electric poles in their land, and that he was in position to facilitate them inflate their compensation.
Inspector of Police (IP) Innocent Gasasira, Police spokesperson for the Northern Province, said: “We received information from one of the residents about a man, who was calling himself an employee of REG and asking people to give him money in order to put them on the list of those who will be compensated.”
“When we investigated, we found out that although the energy group has such projects, it was yet to roll them out in this area and Mwumvaneza was not an employee of REG. We worked with one of the would-be victims and the culprit was arrested red-handed receiving the money,” he added.
Mwumvaneza is currently detained at Kinihira Police Station ending further investigations.
“So far, we have identified eleven people who had fallen prey of his criminal tricks and were in the process of paying the said money (Rwf350, 000 each) before he was identified and his evil plans foiled.”
IP Gasasira said that investigations are still underway to identify if there are people that had already fallen prey.
Impersonation under article 609 of the penal code is punishable with an imprisonment of between five and seven years and a five ranging between Rwf300, 000 and Rwf3 million, upon conviction.
“Even if this project was real, it would amount to bribery by trying to solicit money from the people, which is also a criminal offence,” the spokesperson said.
He appealed to the general public to always verify the authenticity of what people tell them and also desist from tendencies of bribery to acquire a service noting that the law penalizes both the receiver and giver of the bribe.
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