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Kinyarwanda
Three people have been arrested in Nyamagabe District after they were found cutting trees in a protected forest located in Murambi Cell of Kaduha Sector.
Police identified the suspects arrested Monday, as Vincent Simugomwa, Thomas Habimfura and Athanase Sibomana.
They were cutting trees to make charcoal and timbers, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said.
"When local leaders saw the trio felling trees in the gazetted forest, they call the Police and they were arrested in the act," CIP Twajamahoro said.
They had already harvested charcoal and carrying sacks to their stores with others already sold. Only two sacks of charcoal were found at the scene.
"Part of the forest has been destroyed by some people for charcoal burning, timber and construction materials and the arrest of these three individuals is part of the ongoing operations with local authorities to arrest anyone engaged in these environmental degradation activities," he said.
The law on environment, prohibits cutting trees in forests or protected areas like national parks or burning them especially in article 44.
Article 59 of the same legal instrument, states that any person, who causes death, destroys protected plants, harvests or damages them, commits an offence.”
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to an imprisonment term of not less than three years and not more than five years and a fine of between Rwf1 million and Rwf3 million.
