Passengers aboard a Kayonza bound minibus on Wednesday arrested one John Nzamuye, a fellow passenger, after they found him in possession of five kilos of marijuana. The incident took place along the Kirehe–Kayonza highway when passengers seated next to Nzamuye sensed the smell of marijuana and confronted him. They asked the driver to stop the vehicle and with the help of other passengers searched him and found the narcotics wrapped around his upper body. The passengers immediately took him to Kabarondo Police station. Steven Irambona, a passenger seated close to the arrested man, told police officers that he became suspicious of Nzamuye due to a strange odour emanating from him. “I immediately asked the driver to stop the bus to ascertain whether the man possessed the drugs and we found him in possession of approximately five kilos of marijuana,” Irambona explained. Police Spokesperson, Superintendent Theos Badege, commended the passengers for taking the initiative to hand over the criminal. “This shows that Rwandans understand their role in community policing”, Badege said. He called on the public to emulate the passengers. The suspect was taken to court yesterday to answer the charges. According to police, this is not the first time that citizens had apprehended a criminal. Recently, one James Habimana, a notorious conman at Rubavu bus station, was arrested by passengers on a Virunga bus from Rubavu to Kigali upon identification. Ends
