Three held over electric cable theft

Police in Nyamagabe District have arrested three men in connection with theft of a 50-meter electric cable belonging to Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL).

Saturday, July 02, 2016

Police in Nyamagabe District have arrested three men in connection with theft of a 50-meter electric cable belonging to Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL).

The suspects identified as Jean de Dieu Nsanzimfura, Peter Mbanjineza, and François Ndicunguye, were arrested on Thursday, following police investigations into a series of electric cable theft in the district.

Reacting to the arrest, the District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police François Segakware said, "Recently, EUCL filed a case of theft of electric cables in different places. We immediately started investigations and we recovered a 50-metre long high voltage cable at Nsanzimfura’s house.”

Upon recovering the cables, police mounted a manhunt and arrested f the other two suspects who are believed to be part of a chain of cable thieves.

The DPC said that a complaint filed by EUCL indicated that, the total length of cables stolen were 300 meters in different places. 

The three suspects are being held at Gasaka Police station as investigations in the case continue.

"These infrastructure are meant to support community development and the country in general; vandalising them means slowing down development, which we can’t allow,” SP Segakware said.

He appealed to the general public to jealously protect such public facilities and always report to police anyone they see digging them up or trying to cut them.

The suspects risk a jail sentence of up to two years if found guilty as stipulated by article 300 of the penal code.

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