More than 500 foreign nationals are currently detained on various criminal charges, with document forgery emerging as the most common offence, according to Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS). ALSO READ: Judiciary to focus on ADR, speedy, accessible justice in new year During a press conference launching the Justice Week in Rwanda, which runs from December 8-19, Evariste Murenzi, the Commissioner General of RCS, addressed growing concerns about foreigners, mostly students, caught in such offences. “We currently have more than 500 foreigners detained. They originate from different countries and continents. The most prevalent offence is document forgery, followed by assault and battery,” Murenzi said, warning that anyone residing in Rwanda is equally accountable before the law. He stated that international nationals are detained in the same manner as Rwandan citizens and remain fully subject to domestic law The launch of the justice week brought together institutions from across the justice sector, including the Ministry of Justice, Rwanda National Police (RNP), Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), and the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA), among others. ALSO READ: Are lawyers blocking mediation efforts? In total, there are 23,000 individuals, both locals and foreigners, held in correctional facilities since the beginning of 2025. Murenzi reiterated that ongoing mediation efforts under the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework, which aim to reduce the number of people committed to correctional facilities, are also available to foreigners. “They too benefit from mediation processes, whether the offence involves two foreign nationals or is committed against a Rwandan,” he explained. ALSO READ: Rwanda ‘to halve court backlogs in next five years’ Chief Justice Domitilla Mukantaganzwa, emphasised the need to strengthen mediation as a preferred mechanism over formal court proceedings.
