NGOMA/RWAMAGANA-Police has nabbed at least 11 people suspected to be behind a wave of cattle thefts in Rwamagana and Ngoma districts.

Security sources say the suspects sneak into people’s homes at night, break into the kraals and take the cows. About 25 exotic cows are believed to have been stolen by the suspects

Valerie Rubibi, the Executive Secretary of Kigabiro sector, Rwamagana district, said the suspects had been under close security watch.

"All the suspects are known to us and to the residents…they have stolen over 20 Friesian cows. We were lucky to catch them with the stolen cows,” he said, adding that after the arrests, people can now be sure their cows are safe.

The suspects paraded before the press at the weekend were identified as J. Baptise Nizeyimana, Fred Majyambere, Augustin Nduwimana, Alphonse Muvuinyi, and Shadrac Mugenzi. Others are Ngendabanga, Francis Habiyakare, Thadeo Harerimana, Alphonse Munyabugingo, Theogene Nkusi and Emmanuel Uwizeye.

Cattle farmers allege that J. Baptise Nizeyimana of Karembo, Ngoma district and
Francois Habiyakare of Nyarusange, Rwamagana, were the ring leaders.

Nzeyimana used to offer the thieves money to go and steal the cows, while Habiyakare used force, at times threatening his victims with a fire arm, resident say he obtained a while back while still serving as a police officer. 
Theopista Nyiragirimana, an employee of the Institute of Women for Excellence (IWE) in Rwamagana, said that she was happy to hear about the arrests. 

"One of our stolen cows was found in hands of these suspects. We thank the Police for the good work. You know the cows provide our students with milk and we wouldn’t like to part with them,” she said.

Some of the suspects confessed to the crime.

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