Rwanda National Police (RNP) has arrested a man, who allegedly duped about 70 people in a job scam. Emmanuel Nivuguruzwa, 28, was paraded to the media at Remera metropolitan on Sunday. He is suspected to have “fraudulently” registered an employment placement agency called ‘Isango ry’abeza business group limited’ through which he scammed the known victims so far, of over Rwf2.3 million in the last one month alone. RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that late last year, Nivuguruzwa manipulated his friend (a girl) to register the company--Isango ry’abeza business group limited--and open a bank account in her name, which he went on to use in the scam. It is said that Nivuguruzwa made the girl believe that the whole process was a prerequisite for her to get a job. “Since then, Nivuguruzwa has been hanging job posters in different areas in Kigali and taking Rwf12,500 from those who fell for his tricks claiming that it is a membership fee. None of the 70 people has ever gotten a job as he was promising them,” said Kabera. “Apparently, the girl had no knowledge of the alleged company and its fraudulent operations since she was also waiting for the promised job. So far, we know Rwf2,310,800 which he defrauded the known victims.” Nivuguruzwa told journalists that he was promising his victims jobs in construction, travel agencies as drivers and in the Special Economic Zone as accountants and storekeepers. One of the victims identified as Alfred Ngizwenimana from Mageragere in Nyarugenge District said that he was promised a job in the Special Economic Zone as a storekeeper, where he was supposed to earn Rwf270,000 as net monthly salary. Nivuguruzwa had an office at Kinamba where he was directing people for registration and payment of membership fees. Charles Iyakaremye, who reported the scam to Police, said that he was approached by Nivuguruzwa late last year to be his agent. Iyakaremye is a banking agent. “He told me he has a job placement company and wanted me to be his agent since I have banking services, to also facilitate those paying the required fees,” said Iyakaremye. “People started coming in big number and complaints from those who registered and promised jobs also kept coming; it became a serious concern and I suspected Iyakaremye to be a fraudster, which prompted me to report to the Police to find out the reality of the matter,” Iyakaremye added. Kabera urged the public to be vigilant against people running scam companies and using varied tricks to scam unwitting people. “We have arrested a number of people in the recent past involved in different scam activities. We urge the public to always report to law enforcement organs and other concerned institutions whenever they are promised any service or job either in Rwanda or abroad to erase any suspicions and avoid falling prey,” CP Kabera said.
