Police in Nyabihu District have arrested two people in connection with attempting to bribe a police officer with Rwf15, 000.

According to Western Region Police Spokesperson Theobard Kanamugire, Abdallah Ndacyayisenga and Emmanuel Byukusenge were arrested at about midnight, yesterday, as they illegally transported charcoal.

"The duo was travelling by a truck when an officer at a checkpoint stopped them and asked for transport authorisation permit, which they didn’t have. They instead tried to bribe the officer with Rwf15,000. The officers immediately arrested them and impounded their truck,” said Kanamugire.

He said for anyone to transport charcoal, they must have a licence acquired from the district indicating where they got the charcoal and where it was being taken.

The idea to have such a transport authorisation paper is to prevent illegal charcoal burning, deforestation and environmental degradation in general, Kanamugire added.

The organic law determining the modalities of protection, conservation and promotion of environment in Rwanda prohibits the felling of trees in forests and protected areas.

"Cutting of trees or deforestation contributes to environment degradation, which in one way or another has effects on people’s health and the ecosystem, which we can’t allow. These are acts that are against the environmental law and other legal instruments like the Penal Code in its Article 416,” said Kanamugire.

He appealed to communities residing near forestry reserves to take the lead to conserve them and report those who encroach on them.

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