Five more arrested over grenade attacks

KIGALI - Police announced yesterday that it arrested five more people in connection with grenade attacks in various parts of the country since last year. The suspects were, yesterday, shown to journalists at Nyamirambo Police Station. Ezekiel Ndoreyaho, Belical Nigirente 47, Paul Ngirarubanda 51, Valence Nsengumuremyi and a 22-year old only identified Gasore, were arrested last Sunday in the districts of Rusizi and Gakenke. Some of the suspects were found in possession of grenades at the time of arrest. One of the suspects, who said he had been in the country for the last four months, told journalists that he was sent by FDLR along with two other people to scout and identify locations of military and police barracks. The FDLR is a militia largely composed of remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and has been branded by the UN as a terrorist group. “They sent us to spy and identify military and police locations. We were told that if we get caught, we would be killed and we did all we can to hide,” said the suspect who was arrested at a Church in Gakenke where he had gone to ask for food. “I had spent days in the bush without food,” he added. Ngirarubanda is said to be one of the group’s coordinators in Burundi where he was staying and keeping some of the grenades procured by FDLR, before being ferried into Rwanda for subversive activities. He was arrested in Rusizi with two grenades as he tried to sneak them into the country. He said he was hired by one, Jonathan, whom he met in Burundi, to smuggle in the grenades at a fee of 30,000 Burundian francs (approx. Rwf15, 000). “I met Jonathan in Burundi where he was looking for people to recruit,” Ngirarubanda said. Police Spokesperson, Supt. Theos Badege, said the suspects were directly connected to FDLR. He said that the network of terrorists which carries out grenade attacks in Rwanda had been identified. “We are now looking for their whereabouts,” he explained. Badege said that all the suspects would be produced before court very soon. The latest grenade attack occurred Tuesday night when 10 people were left with minor injuries. Ends

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Five more arrested over grenade attacks