Police Warn Against Illegal Mining and Trading of Minerals
The Rwanda National Police has warned individuals involved in illegal mining and trading of minerals without the required license, while commending citizens who continue to cooperate in preventing and combating crime.
This follows a joint operation with residents on Thursday, February 26, in Kanyana Cell, Sovu Sector, Ngororero District, where four people were arrested in possession of 1,063 kilograms of minerals that they were illegally extracting and selling.
The Police spokesperson in the Western Province, Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, said that the suspects were arrested based on information provided by residents.
He stated: “Acting on information from residents that a group of individuals were using the cover of night to illegally mine minerals, on Thursday afternoon the Police arrested four people while they were weighing minerals inside a house. The seized minerals included 1,040 kilograms of Beryl and 23 kilograms of Lithium. One of their accomplices managed to escape and is still being sought.”
SP Karekezi reminded anyone who goes to mining sites to extract minerals, as well as those who choose to buy and trade them, that such activities are only permitted for individuals holding a valid license issued by the relevant authorities. He warned that those who continue to ignore the law will be arrested soon, as operations will continue in collaboration with other institutions and the public.
The suspects and the seized minerals were handed over to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) at Kavumu Station for further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to locate the escaped suspect.
Law No. 58/2018 of August 13, 2018 governing mining and quarry operations, under Article 54, states that any person who explores, mines, processes, or trades in minerals or quarry materials without a license commits an offense.
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two (2) months and not more than six (6) months, and a fine ranging from one million (1,000,000 RWF) to five million (5,000,000 RWF), or one of these penalties.
The court also orders the confiscation of minerals or quarry materials that were stored, sold, or processed without a license.
