Rwanda National Police

Police in Gicumbi District, on Monday, April 26, arrested two men suspected of trafficking narcotic drugs, and attempting to bribe an officer on duty. 

The suspects are identified as Hassan Nyandwi, 40, and Oscar Ibisamaza, 43.

Gicumbi District Police Commander (DPC), Superintendent of Police (SP) Jean Bosco Minani, said the duo had earlier escaped after they were intercepted trafficking a sack of khat commonly known as Mayirungi.

"At about 1pm, Police responded to a call about two men, who were trafficking a sack of khat to Kigali on a motorcycle. During the operation, Nyandwi and Ibisamaza threw down the sack, which contained 251 rolls of khat, and run away," CIP Minani said.

He added: "At about 6pm, Nyandwi and Ibisamaza showed up at the Police station and tried to seduce a Police officer with a bribe of Frw70,000 so as to give them the impounded sack of khat, but they were immediately taken into custody and handed over to RIB for further legal actions."

Khat is classified as a severe drug under the Ministerial order n? 001/moh/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorisation.

Article 263 of law determining offenses and penalties in general states that any person, who unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, commits an offence.   

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty years and not more than twenty five years, and a fine of between Frw15 million and Frw20 million, in regards to severe narcotic drugs.

251 rolls of khat seized

Article 4 of law on fighting against corruption states that any person, who offers, solicits, accepts or receives, by any means, an illegal benefit for himself/ herself or another person or accepts a promise in order to render or omit a service under his or her mandate or uses his or her position to render or omit a service, commits an offence.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of more than five years but not more than seven years with a fine of three to five times the value of the illegal benefit solicited or offered.