Police to sack 30 over graft

Twenty-seven police personnel who were implicated in corruption related crimes face possible dismissal from the force. The number is part of 34 who were apprehended on separate occasions between May-September over corruption cases involving bribes ranging from Rwf1000 to 1 million. The group was yesterday paraded before the media at the Police headquarters in Kacyiru. According to the police, out of 27, six of them are on the rank of junior officer’s including one inspector of police while others are police constables and non commissioned officers (NCO). According to Police spokesperson ACP Damas Gatare, the Council of Police is set to discuss the matter, after which it will send its recommendation to the Minister for Internal Security and Cabinet for action. Council of Police is the highest organ in the Rwanda National Police. Four among the accused officers will be punished and reinstated, while the fate of three others is yet to be discussed, Gatare said. “They were involved in various corruption cases. Some were arrested in connection with selling driving permits, others were trying to include some police officers on the list of those supposed to go for UN peace keeping missions,” Gatare said. Others are accused of obtaining bribes from drug dealers. ACP Gatare stressed the importance of parading the officers before journalists, saying it would serve as a lesson to others. In July at least 48 police officers were said to have been fired from Rwanda National Police over corruption related crimes since last year. In the same period, 126 police personnel were charged with corruption. Police said then that the expelled group was found guilty of corruption related offences and sentenced to imprisonment of less than six months which they served before being dismissed.