KARONGI - Illegal Drugs, brew and banned fishing nets worth an estimated Rwf10m were publically destroyed in Karongi district with authorities attributing the increase in crime in the district to the banned substances.

Fiacre Nyamuhenda, the Chief Prosecutor at Karongi Intermediate Court, at a function held to destroy illicit drugs and other illegal products which had been seized from traffickers, said that crimes such as murder connected to consumption of the drugs. 

The destroyed drugs include marijuana worth over Rwf6.5m, illegal fishing nets worth over Rwf2.5million and over 100 litres of local brew locally known as kanyanga.
At the same function, over 100 Pangas used in various criminal offences were handed over to local leaders of Bwishyura sector, while the recovered bullets and grenades were handed over to security officials.

Speaking to thousands of residents, who had turned up to witness the destruction of the drugs, Nyamuhenda noted that murder was among the leading crimes committed in the past few months.

"We had previously reached at an impressive level of fighting crime but recently more offences are emerging and in most cases it is because of the consumption of illicit drugs,” Nyamuhenda told residents.

He added that cases of mothers murdering their young babies have been reported, while sexual harassment, rape and torture are also on the rise.

Calling for a joint campaign against drug abuse, Nyamuhenda observed that drug abuse alters the normal human mind and drives people to commit criminal offences.
Chief Supt Bosco Rangira, the Regional Police Commander of the Western Province, challenged residents to fight drug trafficking.

"All of us ought to jointly work to fight drug abuse and other related crimes.

As security organs, we cannot do this without the involvement of the general public,” Rangira said.

He called upon the population not to hesitate to call the police at any time in case they need security intervention.

Ends