Rwanda National Police (RNP), yesterday, handed over a vehicle to South Sudanese national after it was stolen and recovered in Kigali last month.

The South Sudanese registered Land Cruiser Pick-Up EE 519B was reportedly stolen in Kampala on July 28 before the alleged thieves crossed to Rwanda, where it was intercepted.

Tony Kulamba, commissioner for Interpol and cooperation at RNP, handed over the vehicle to Jacob Garang Deng at the Force’s General Headquarters in Kacyiru.

The vehicle was stolen from Deng in Kampala and it belongs to his brother, Police said.

Deng narrated that he crossed to Uganda from South Sudan on July 26, with a Ugandan mechanic working in South Sudan, and took the vehicle straight to a garage in Kampala for repair.

"I left the vehicle under his care but I was surprised more than a week later when I was told that the car had been stolen by the same person I called a friend and who was supposed to ensure that it’s fully repaired,” Deng said.

"I never knew I would recover it, but I am thankful to Rwanda National Police for their professionalism and integrity,” said Deng.

"When I approached Rwanda National Police, they informed me that there was a process to follow and today I am very happy that I signed official handover papers,” he added.

According to Kulamba, the vehicle was recovered on August 4 in Gikondo, where the suspects were also arrested.

"After we received information on the stolen vehicle, investigations were launched and it was seized in Gikondo by the central police, we informed our counterpart in South Sudan, who sent all the particulars on the vehicle in question and the rightful owners through I-24/7 global Interpol communication system,” said Kulamba.

"We have strong cooperation with our counterparts in the region especially under the auspices of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation and when something is stolen or goes missing in another country, we communicate and help each other in investigations and recovery, and arrest of suspected criminals,” he added.

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