Police in Gasabo District are holding a 33-year-old-man for allegedly forging bank-slips to defraud a local businessman.

Senior Supt. Emmanuel Hitayezu, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali said that the suspect (names withheld) was caught red-handed on May 13, in Gisozi Sector where he was attempting to defraud a would-be victim of Rwf24.8 million worth of construction materials.

"(The suspect) had approached the businessman earlier in the day posing as an employee of NPD Cotraco, a local construction firm, and placed an order of building materials worth Rwf24.8 million,” Hitayezu said.

"He took a bank account where he said he would deposit the money. He came back later with a bank slip saying he had deposited the agreed money, but the businessman became suspicious because he had not received the SMS banking message, which prompted him to inform local authorities and called the police. It later turned out that the bank-slip was forged and he was taken into custody," he added.

He advised traders to always first confirm with their banks before issuing goods to prevent falling prey.

Impersonation and extortion is punishable under articles 318 and 609 of the Rwandan penal code.

Under the article 318, any person who, intentionally obtains a property belonging to another person by fraud or using false names or qualities, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million.

Impersonation under article 609 attracts a jail term of five to seven years and a fine of up to Rwf3 million.