The Revenue Protection Department (RPD) has arrested two local businessmen in connection with forging documents used to import vehicles.

Tonic Salum and his brother Abdul Machensi were arrested in Kigali early this week. Nine vehicles suspected to have been imported through the suspicious ways have also been impounded.

Gerald Nkusi, the Director of Taxpayers’ Services in the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), confirmed the arrests.  He said the two men were brokers and were conducting business unlawfully.

Investigations are going on to find out how the vehicles entered the country and got out of the General Bonded Warehouse (Magerwa).

Officers will also find out whether the vehicles were not smuggled from foreign countries. Sources familiar with the case claim that Salum bought vehicles from Dubai, then sold them to his brother Machensi.

The latter would connive with some officials in RRA who assisted him in acquiring vehicle documents and dodging taxes.

A crackdown has already started resulting in the seizure of the nine vehicles last week.  According to sources within the RRA, thirty-two vehicles are believed to be involved in the racket.
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