Kigali: Nine people were arrested Wednesday in Kicukiro District violating the curfew and exceeding the required maximum number of passengers in a vehicle.
Rwanda National Police (RNP), CP John Bosco Kabera said that they were caught at about 9am. A curfew starts at 8pm up to 5am.
Besides violating the curfew, CP Kabera said, they were traveling in a vehicle authorised to carry only four people in this period as part of the measure adopted to prevent the spread and combat the pandemic of Coronavirus
One of those arrested, Jean Nzabihimana and Aboubakar Nibonshuti, while speaking to the media at Kicukiro Police station, said that they travelled to Rusumo border post in the same Toyota Hilux, RAB 394Q.
“We left Kigali for Rusumo on May 13, at about 11:00 Hrs, we were nine in the same vehicle, which should only transport four people as per the government directives,” said Nzabihimana.
He added: “We were fortunate that we were not caught along the way. When we arrived in Rusumo we took separate vehicle to Kigali. We linked up again in Kigali and travelled in the same car to Kicukiro where we were intercepted.”
Nibonshuti, on his part, said that they were aware of the violated directives only that they hoped they would not be caught.
CP Kabera said that they were caught in varied violations put in place to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
“In this period, vehicles are also required to carry a specific number of people to ensure social distancing. A vehicle licensed to transport say, 70 people will only take 35; those licensed to take 30 will be carrying 15. Unfortunately, they understand these directives and they breached them intentionally, including violating the curfew,” said CP Kabera.
He explained that the main focus in not to arrest or to use force but for the public to understand and heed the call to respect the measures put in place for everyone’s safety.
He warned that RNP will continue to ensure that the measures put in place by the government to prevent the spread of the pandemic, are understood and respected, and those violating them detained or fined. (End)