Police, yesterday, paraded 15 people at Kicukiro Police Station, who were arrested recently in connection with dealing in counterfeit currency. The suspects, arrested separately in different parts of the country, include a syndicate of six men that includes a headmaster, who was found in possession of fake bills worth Euro 24,800. All the suspects were arrested in Police operations conducted in the last one month. Fake notes totalling Rwf310,000 and US$8,700, were also seized from the suspects. Some of the suspects who talked to the media confessed to the crime, narrating how they got involved in the illegal deals. “My friend, who was also my housemate, told me that he had Euros 25,000 and asked me to give him Rwf5 million. I went to a SACCO and got a loan of Rwf4 million, which I gave him in exchange for the Euros, although I later realised that he had given me 24,800 Euros,” narrated Xavier Muganwa, one of the suspects. Muganwa is the headmaster of ES Rukira in Huye District. “I tried to exchange it on several occasions in vain. Later, I interested another friend of mine to take the counterfeits, exchange them and return the local currency. I gave him 10,000 fake bills of Euros.” “Days later, he called me saying that he had exchanged the money and asked me to bring more. I carried with me the remaining money, and when I got to him, that was when the Police arrested me,” added Muganwa, who was nabbed last Sunday in Huye along with five other alleged accomplices. Muganwa said he concealed the deal from his wife because she had objected to the idea of him taking a loan.“When I took the loan, she never got to know what I used it for. Unfortunately, I have to service it until the end of 2017.” This is not the first time Muganwa is embroiled in counterfeit dealing; in 2013, he attested he was involved in a similar case. Other suspects Egide Ndagijimana and Solomon Nzigiye, were arrested in Kirehe District recently, in possession of US$ 8,700. Also paraded were Mirian Uwitije, Modeste Havugimana and Emmanuel Muvunyi, who were found with counterfeit notes worth Rwf54,000, Rwf12,000 and Rwf4,000, respectively. Police Spokesperson CSP Celestin Twahirwa, said the public needs to be on alert and report such cases. “Most of these people were apprehended because people were quick to report and cooperate with the Police,” CSP Twahirwa said. “We have systems to deal with such crimes. We already have a unit working with financial institutions and telecoms to ensure safety of people’s money,” he added. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
