USD bills - Money making machine found

WESTERN PROVINCE

RUSIZI — Police in Kamembe on Wednesday arrested four people for allegedly counterfeiting United States dollar bills.

The suspects currently detained at Kamembe police Post were identified as Jean Marie Vianney Murekezi, Bartazard Bisetsa, Béatrice Mukankunsi with another only identified as Stannie. 

Police said they arrested the suspects after a tip off by one resident who had been contacted to join the quartet.

According to Police, another suspect; a pastor formerly heading the Rwanda Presbyterian Church in Kamembe, is still on the run.

Police said the suspects, who were found in possession of bundles of fake US dollars, have been conning residents of money with a promise to double their cash.

One Yvodde Nkurunziza, police said, claimed to have been conned of Rwf15 million.

"The group has been distributing counterfeit currency notes in the area and conning millions of money out of unsuspecting residents. We, as security authorities can’t tolerate such illegal activities in the district and that’s why we arrested them as further investigations continue,” the Rusizi District Police Commander, Supt Danny Ndayambaje said.

During the arrests, police recovered a money-making machine, blank papers, chemicals, boxes of old razor blades and match boxes.

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