On Thursday, September 10, Police arrested 25 people, who had gathered in a home to buy and sell clothes in Nyarugenge District, Kimisagara Sector, Kamuhoza cell.
The vendor, Enock Kayiranga was selling second-hand clothes from his sister’s home, Police said.
At the time of the operation at about 8am, Police and local leaders found buyers congested sorting out clothes.
Kayiranga admitted that he has been conducting this prohibited trade for a while. “I admit and apologize for violating the Coronavirus prevention measures by gathering all these people here. What has happened to me should be a lesson to others to not violate COVID-19 prevention directives,” Kayiranga regretted.
Among the arrested is also one Protegene Mutimura, a trader and resident of Kicukiro district in Gahanga sector.
Mutimura had travelled all the way to Kimisagara to buy clothes. “I went to Kimisagara market in the morning and found a very long queue, traders there told me of a wholesaler in the area. I did not think about it much, I just came and found many other people sorting out clothes and I joined them,” Mutimura explained to the media.
He added: “I am aware that we could have infected one another because we came from different places, and we were very close to each other.”
Charles Havuguziga, the Executive Secretary of Kimisagara sector noted that the seller, Kayiranga is not a resident of Kimisagara sector.
Havuguziga added that Kayiranga committed two offenses; illegal trade and prohibited gathering of people, who had come to buy clothes.
“That trade alone is illegal because a home is not a market. Also, it is prohibited to gather people in any way because they can infect one another with COVID-19. We have an obligation as the local government, to work with security organs to inspect the compliance of the government directives to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” Havuguziga said.
He further reminded the public to beware of people, who violate prevention measures, and always report such people.
Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera urged people to make it their responsibility and will to fight and prevent Coronavirus.
“It is the responsibility of every citizen of Rwanda to fight this pandemic, not because there are penalties, but because of their own safety as they understand how dangerous it is.
However, for people who choose to not protect themselves and behave in a manner that constitutes a danger to others, they will always face immediate repercussions,” CP Kabera warned.
All the arrested will be penalized in accordance with the August 30, City of Kigali communique that lists COVID-19 prevention measures violations and their respective penalties. (End)