Some of the suspects
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau(RIB) has warned about a new gangs who steal number plates and place them on vehicles which they use to commit crimes, attracting negative repercussions on the rightful owners.
Currently, RIB holds six men aged between 19 and 22 years old who are allegedly involved in these crimes.
Dr. Thierry B. Murangira told the media on April 2, that the suspects pick number plates from a car, then put them on their tinted cars which they use in a series of crimes.
One of the scenarios consists of a case where they went to a petrol station with a car bearing a wrong number plate, and then filled their tank.
At that time, they left without paying a coin and drove to a shop where they packed goods. Before the seller could ask them to pay, they had vanished. They drove beyond the required speed limit which accumulated traffic fines on the account of the number plates’ owner.
Yvette Uwimana from Karan Petrol Station in Kigali told the media, her story of how the gangs almost killed her in that incident.
“They came, requested for fuel equivalent to Rwf 45,000. At a time I was asking them to pay, they dragged me to the point that the wheels were about to crash me. They left me when I cried and vanished,” she said.
Jean de Dieu Tuyishime, a car owner said that the gangs broke into his house at 10 PM and removed the number plate from his car and went to place it on a different car. The following day, he found Rwf 500,000 traffic fines on his mobile phone.
“Apparently, we need to remove the number plates on our cars and keep them at night,” Tuyishime advised.
In many scenarios, the suspects snatch people their mobile phones and women, their bags. In event their target tries to resist, they can even kill them.
It is in similar case the criminals snatched one Ketia Mackenzi her phone worth Rwf 1.3 million.
“I had to let it go to save my life,” she said.
The Suspects: Who Is Who?
The suspect ring leader is Badrou Rashid, while members include Niyigena Patrick, one Fred Rwigema, Fabrice Mwizerwa, Pacifique Niyomwungeri and Frank Mugabo.
They are accused of Formation of a criminal gang and being part of it, Degrading or damaging of another person‟s property, Theft committed with violence or threat, attempts to commit murder, and breach of trust.
According to RIB, the suspects are knowledgeable mechanics, most of whom studied up to tertiary education at the Institute of Polytechnic Regional Centre-IPRC Kigali.
They are known as being drug addicts who once were sent to a rehabilitation centre.
For the ring leader for example, he owns a garage where he can use a technology to prevent a car from working. When the owner comes to seek repair service, he sends his mechanics to earn money from the damages he caused intentionally.
It is alleged that after such robberies, the gangs org anise a house party which include adultery and resume the following morning.
