Rwanda National Police and Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) recovered Rwf4.1 million which was stolen from a British national after thieves broke into her vehicle in downtown Kigali. The money was recovered from two suspected thieves, both in their early twenties, who were also taken into custody. The money was on Saturday, April 15, handed over to the victim, Walker Jemrose Leanora, the head of Young Citizens of Rwanda, a charity organization that supports vulnerable youth and children. Walker said that, on April 12, she withdrew £3000 and exchanged it into local currency (Rwf4,110,000) but left the money in her vehicle. I am so happy to receive this money because it was what we withdrew from the bank to pay for third term school fees for our 22 secondary students that we support. So, many children would be suffering because we did not know how to replace that money for them to go to school, Walker said. When she discovered that the money was gone, she said, it was her grandchildren that made her feel at ease that the money would be found. They (grandchildren) said ‘do not worry, you will get the money back, our Police will find them (thieves)’. So, I reported the theft at Nyarugenge Police, she added. The RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, said that a motorcycle, which the two suspects had used to escape after breaking into the car and stealing the money, was also impounded. They trailed the victim from the bank, and they were identified from the CCTV footages. Rwf2,600,000 was recovered from one suspect while Rwf1.5 million was recovered from the other, Kabera said. One of the suspects, a resident of Nyamirambo sector in Nyarugenge District, is a former convict, who served two years at Nyarugenge prison for breaking into vehicles to steal valuables. He was released in December 2022 after completing his sentence.He was previous arrested on three different occasions and taken to Kigali Transit Centre for rehabilitation. Later, in 2017 he was taken to Iwawa Rehabilitation Centre. The other suspect was arrested in February for stealing a television flat screen and taken to Kigali Transit Centre for rehabilitation. Kabera said that sharing information in real time is crucial in facilitating investigations. Real time information helps law enforcements to arrive at the scene swiftly to collect evidence. When you delay, it affects investigations in one way or another, Kabera said. He also sent a message to influencers and other people using social media platforms who report theft and other crimes, to always labour to give detailed information that facilitates investigations. Out of 30 people, who reported cases of theft on social media platforms, in March, Kabera said, only 11 gave additional information as requested by the Police. We know groups of young people at Giti k'inyoni, Gisozi, Gatsata, Gikondo and other areas, who spend the whole day loitering waiting for darkness to start stealing from cars, snatching phones and other valuables from people, breaking into houses, and those who steal clothes from drying ropes in homes. The advice to them is that they should not spend the whole day thinking of how to steal, but have positive thinking of what to do to change their lives, the spokesperson reiterated.
