The health guidelines requires anyone, who test positive for Covid-19, to isolate from other family members under home-based care where they are followed remotely or transferred to a Covid treatment centre by medical personnel
To Thadee Ndaberetse, 50, a resident of Kanserege Cell, Gikondo Sector in Kicukiro District, he decided to defy these prevention directives.
On Saturday, July 24, Ndaberetse was intercepted at about 11am, at Ngorongari in Nyanza District as he transported his housemaid back to her parents in Huye District.
Ndaberetse, who was dressed in procedural-like gown, wearing a face mask and gloves, had put his maid in the rear seat of his tinted Nissan patrol vehicle.
While speaking to the media on Sunday, July 25, Ndaberetse said that last Tuesday, their house-help had a Covid-19 test at the health centre in Kicukiro but concealed the actual results.
“She told us that she tested negative when she came back, but out of suspicion, we told her to self-solate in the bedroom.
The following morning, we contacted a nurse at the health centre, who confirmed to us that our house-help is Covid-19 positive,” Ndaberetse narrated.
At this pointed, Ndaberetse’s only misguided thought was to put the maid in his vehicle and take her back home in Huye District, despite the claims that he intended to hand her over to the district authorities.
To find his way to Nyanza, where he was intercepted, Ndaberetse, a licensed dealer in minerals, was using a movement permit, which was issued to faciliate him in his business.
RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera said that Police received information that Ndaberetse was using the movement permit to smuggle a Covid-19 positive person to Huye from Kigali.
“This is so irresponsible and reckless; Kigali is under lockdown and this is a Covid positive person, who should be handled as prescribed rather than transporting her from one place to another to spread the virus.
Again, this is a man, who was given a movement permit to go to Kamonyi but decided to use it contrary to the original intended purpose and to derail national efforts against the pandemic,” CP Kabera said.
He added: “Ndaberetse claims that he was told to take the patient back home, but investigations will be conducted to verify these claims. RBC guidelines are very clear, if you test positive, you self-isolate and followed up from home or you are taken to Covid treatment centre.”
The spokesperson took the opportunity to warn people, who misuse or forge movement permits to engage in other prohibited activities. (End)