18
Jan

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has arrested four men in City of Kigali in connection with vandalizing electricity pylons causing power outage.

The suspects were paraded before the media on Friday, January 15, at the Police metropolitan headquarters in Remera.

They include one Edson Uwitonze, who was allegedly buying and selling metal pieces stolen from pylons; Emmanuel Muhirwa, a taxi-moto operator, who was allegedly transporting thieves and metal pieces taken from pylons; Samuel Ndayizeye, one of the suspected thieves vandalizing the powerlines; and Eric Kubwimana, who was linking thieves to dealers in metals or scraps.

Stanley Nkubito, the head for energy efficiency and revenue protection at EUCL-REG, said that these criminal activities continue to cause power cuts in some parts of the country and they cause energy inefficiency.

"We register at least 50 cases of people destroying pylons every year. Since the beginning of this year and this raises concern. In some cases, this vandalism cause power outage in areas that are supplied by the same electricity line" Nkubito said.

He explained that this prompted REG to constitute a team that works with security organs to fight such criminal activities.

RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera warned that the force will continue the search and arrest anyone that destroys public infrastructure, which affects service delivery, lead businesses into losses as well as the government in terms of repairing the affected utilities.

"Everyone, including these suspects, benefit from electricity in one way or another. It is the responsibility of everyone to protect these infrastructures jealously to ensure that anyone that attempts to destroy them is arrested," CP Kabera said.

According to article 182 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, “any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions, which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three (3) years and not more than five (5) years with a fine of not less than Frw3 million and not more than Frw5 million.