Police in Rusizi district arrested six people for allegedly stealing cement that was to be used in constructing classrooms at Groupe Scolaire Muramba. One of the suspects is the head-teacher of the school identified as Theotime Buregeya.
The Police spokesperson for the Western region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi said that the information was provided by community policing partners, who knew that Buregeya, the headmaster, was selling the cement.
According to CIP Karekezi, Buregeya was allegedly working with the store keeper, three transporters, and another person, who was in charge of finding the market for the stolen cement.
“Buregeya allegedly had three people he was using to take the cement out of the store, hide it and would later sell it after getting customers,” CIP Karekezi explained.
“When a local resident brought the matter forward, Police responded. We first arrested the person who was allegedly in charge of getting buyers and he admitted to have sold three bags of cement, and said that he had given the money to Buregeya. So far, about 10 bags of cement are known to have been stolen from the store.”
All the arrested suspects were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) for further legal action. CIP Karekezi thanked the community policing partners for the neighbourbood watch.
He further warned against derailing the government education projects, which affects children and the education sector in general.
The spokesperson urged the public to protect public infrastructures like schools, which are meant to benefit their children.
“The head of the school had the biggest responsibility to properly utilize what the government invested in increasing classrooms in the school he headed, sadly, he spearheaded the alleged theft and embezzled the classroom construction materials.”
CIP Karekezi requested the public to not turn a blind eye, but instead report cases, even before the crime happens. It is barely a week when seven others were arrested over the same crime, in the same district. (End)