Kayonza- Park rangers, yesterday morning, arrested six Tanzanian nationals over illegal fishing activities on Lake Kivumba in Akagera National Park.Police said the suspects will be charged with breaching Rwanda immigration laws and its fisheries code.

Kayonza Police identified the arrested fishermen as Kassim Rwezabura, Francis Mambaza, Elias Boniface, Buberwa Bahagara, Sadoki Rubingiri and Appolinare Matosi. 

They all hail from Kafunzo village in Karagwe District of Kagera Province in Tanzania.

Police confiscated their boats and fish nets.Eugene Mutangana, Akagera Park Chief Warden, said the guards were on night patrol when they noticed the five men in an inflatable boat at around 11 p.m.

Mutangana noted that other than illegal fishing, there was a lot of smuggling along the lake that needs to be addressed. He called for collective cross-border efforts to curb the crime.

"The Province loses a lot of revenue that would be collected through taxes due to smuggling. I think officials of Karagwe and Eastern Province should look for a lasting solution,” he said.

Buberwa Bahagara, one of the suspects, sought forgiveness, claiming that he never knew he was committing any crime."The suspects are being held at  Kabarondo Police Station.

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