The Rwanda National Police’s ongoing fight against corruption and drug abuse in the country continued to yield results with the arrest of five people, separately, during the weekend in a crackdown mounted from Friday.

The campaign, that is underway in communities, is intended to sensitise the public on the dangers of such acts as human trafficking, in order to enlist their support in fighting and reporting those involved through community policing.

Those arrested include a man in Bugesera District who attempted to bribe a Police officer at Nyamata Police Station with Rwf70,000 in order to release his brother who had been arrested the previous day (on Friday) with others in connection with drug related crimes.

The other two people were apprehended in Nyagatare District. They include a driver who was caught transporting about 60 cartons of a banned gin called Chief Waragi, which he allegedly trafficked into the country through an illegal border post, while the other man was found with 20 litres of crude gin called Kanyanga.

"The fight against crimes like drug abuse, corruption and human trafficking is continuous through community gatherings, in schools and through the media and we call upon everyone to stand up against such illegal acts,” Inspector of Police Emmanuel Kayigi, the Eastern Region spokesperson, said.

Human trafficking is said to be a rare phenomenon in Rwanda, with majority of the cases recorded involving foreigners who are intercepted in the country as they are being trafficked to other countries, especially in Asia, Europe and Southern Africa.

At least 100 people, the majority of whom are drivers, have been arrested across the country since September last year in connection with attempts to bribe Police officers.

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