RUBAVU-Two armed robbers were, early Sunday morning, killed by Police as they attempted to break into Cogebank- Rubavu branch.

The two thugs, Ferdinand Rutikanga, of Niboye Sector, Kicukiro District and Nsengiyumva Murwanashyaka, of Gisenyi sector, Rubavu district, had allegedly connived with the bank’s security guard who later tipped off the police.

"One of our guards told us that the thugs had asked him to help in the bank robbery. We advised him to go forward with the deal and we involved the police to set a trap,” Gaston Kayonga, Cogebank security manager, told The New Times.

Gun fire rocked Gisenyi town at around 2:30 a.m., as Police tried to arrest the thugs who had allegedly begun to break the bank’s padlocks.

Two men were arrested, including the driver of the vehicle used by the thugs and a Police officer in the area, who was allegedly party to the deal.

Police spokesperson, Eric Kayiranga confirmed the incident saying, "Police was alerted in the wee hours that there were robbers breaking into the bank. Police intervened but the robbers resisted using various traditional weapons to which police responded by shooting at them,” he said.

"Two were killed and two others arrested, including a Police constable. The network is big, but we are still investigating.”

Police declined to publish the names of those detained at Rubavu Police Post, saying it could interfere with their investigations.

By 8:30 a.m., the bodies were still lying at the banks’ premises with many residents thronging the area to identify them.

A resident said one of the deceased robbers was a notorious thug who has been terrorising residents at Mukamira trading centre.

"He holds a black belt in martial arts and he is a retired soldier,” a woman who gave her name only as Mukagatabazi said.

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