Police in Rutsiro district have arrested five people on suspicion of stealing aid supplies meant for recent disaster affected victims.
According to the district authorities, among those arrested are two District Administration Security Support Organ members (DASSOs), a driver and two employees from the district.
The Mayor of Rutsiro District, Triphose Murekatete, has disclosed that the five suspects were arrested on Sunday May 14th.
He noted they’re detained at Gihango’s Rwanda Investigation Bureau station.
Among those named by the authorities is Jean Pierre Ndungutse who works as a Dasso at the district.
The 32 year old is alleged to have stolen clothes including 6 pants, 1 shirt, 1 t-shirt, 10 balls, 2 jackets and 2 sportswear found at his home.
The other Dasso is Claudine Muhawenimana, a 21 year old female was arrested with 5 pants, 5 shirts, 14 balls, 9 shirts, all of which were taken from her residence.
A driver to the district Muhire Eliazari, aged 41 year is also detained. He is accused of stealing aid clothes found in the car registered plate number: GR 306E.
The other suspects arrested by RIB include; Nathalie Mujawamariya the deputy in the department of agriculture and Eugénie Uwamahoro head of cooperatives.
More than 130 people were killed due to torrential rains and flooding in western and northern Rwanda on May 2-3.
The figure is considered the highest disaster-induced death toll to be recorded in the country in the shortest period, according to available records from recent years.
In the related news, the government has initiated an emergency response, including evacuations and temporary relocations to camps for affected residents.
Rwandans also raised over 10 million RWF to support those affected. Urgent relocation of over 19,000 households living in disaster-prone areas has been prioritized.
The deputy spokesperson for the Rwandan government outlined the nation’s plans for post-flood reconstruction.
“What is left to do is to ensure that where the victims were previously located, in those places that were designated as high-risk zones, they are resettled,” Alain Mukurarinda said.
“Resettlement involves screening: we identify who had land ownership prior to the floods, who owned a house, who needs compensation and who doesn’t but then after that we relocate them to homes that are not in high-risk zone areas.” He added.
The Government of Rwanda is still in the process of identifying new non –high risk zone areas where they can resettle the displaced families that were affected by the floods and landslides.
