Man held over polythene bags

A 29-year-old man has been detained at Mageragere Police Station, Nyarugenge District, over selling banned polythene bags and plastics which officials at Rwanda National Police (RNP) and the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) say are harmful to the environment.The Spokesperson for RNP, Théos Badege, said the suspect, Maurice Bizumuremyi, was caught on Friday at Gitikinyoni with 200 packets of polythene bags (40,000 pieces), and two rolls of plastic papers.The police are still investigating the suspect’s business to uncover other people who may be associated with it.Bizumuremyi said he bought the material from Burundi and was caught when he was trying to bring them to his client in Kimironko, Kigali City.Article 433 of the Penal code stipulates that “any person who sells polythene without authorization shall be liable to a fine of Rwf10 000 to Rwf300,000, and the penalty is doubled in case of recidivism.”The Police paraded the suspect during a community work (umuganda) in Mageragere for other citizens to be reminded of consequences behind getting involved in such illegal business.“Don’t you know these products are harmful to our environments which in return impacts on our economy,” said Chief Supt Bosco Rangira, the regional police commander for the central region.According to Coletha Ruhamya, the deputy Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority, the polythene bags seized were manufactured in Tanzania and then taken to Burundi where the suspect smuggled them from.