Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) in Rubavu District has arrested four people suspecting of conning unsuspecting members of the public. The suspects; Jean Baptist Kaneteri, Gaspard Ntakiyimana who calls himself Doctor Blaise, Berchiade Kalinda and Martin Rwagatare also allegedly defrauded businesses in Rubavu District and its environs, including Musanze District and Goma City in DR Congo. Their arrest followed a tipoff from Tony Omende Djamba Kandiro, a Congolese national resident in Goma. According to his account, the four visited him at his home in Goma, posing as property brokers. “They first came tomy home as brokers saying they wanted to rent my house for an American national,” Kandiro said. They promised to pay three-years in advance. They then shared with him an email address and a WhatsApp number of his prospective tenant, whom he contacted, promptly received a response and had a verbal contract. Kandiro went on to say that five days later, he received an invitation from “the American” for a business breakfast meeting in Musanze District. Upon his arrival, he was lured into a fake lucrative deal, to buy 24 bald eagle eggs, a sea eagle found in North America. On the meeting day, the American delegated the four men to execute the deal, he said. Kandiro paid $8,000 (Rwf7.6 million), meaning each he paid over $300 for each egg. Although Kandiro was cagey as to why he paid such an exorbitant amount of money for something found in the region, he insisted that given its scarcity, it seemed to be a product that was in high demand. “I couldn’t understand how they got 24 eggs for a bird that is rarely seen on earth. That’s when I realised that everything was a scam and informed RIB which arrested them,” he said. A number of residents of Rubavu District accuse the group of conning them with pledges varying from revitalising their businesses, good-paying jobs and trips outside Rwanda. Douglas Mpamo, a resident of Rubavu District said the suspects defrauded him of Rwf40,000 saying they were set to connect him with a white man who would rent his house above the market rate. RIB spokesperson, Marie Michelle Umuhoza, confirmed that the suspects were currently detained at RIB- Gisenyi Station pending further investigations. “Investigations are ongoing. We urge the general public to be vigilant,” she noted.
