Police have warned the general public against forging Covid-19 test results while they are going to places that require presenting negative test results. The warning was issued by CP John Bosco Kabera, the Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson as he appeared on the national broadcaster on November 1. He said that those who will be caught in this forgery will face a prison sentence not less than five years and not more than seven years, with a fine not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million. “This is not only defying Covid-19 preventive measures but committing a crime. Forging a document for you to go and watch a game or attend a concert for a few hours will result into years in prison,” he said. Article 276 of law Nº68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offences and penalties in general, states that any person, who in any manner, forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging agreements, its provisions, obligations, or discharged obligations, commits an offence. Kabera said that based on different cases in the past, this is in line with police duties of preventing crimes beforehand. “We haven’t caught any person yet but it is our duty to warn people and prevent such crimes. Given the past history of when we have paraded different people for forging them (Covid test results), now that there are more open services that require people for negative results there is a likelihood of that happening,” he said. Kabera also warned against people who operate bars while breaching Covid-19 guidelines.
