The suspects were among eight individuals paraded before the media on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at RIB headquarters in Kimihurura.
Addressing the press, RIB Spokesperson Dr. Thierry Murangira revealed that the arrests followed investigations into three other land fraud suspects earlier this month.
Among those accused is a 54-year-old man and a woman posing as his wife. The land in question belongs to the man and his legal wife, who currently resides abroad. Unable to sell the property alone, the man allegedly conspired with another woman to forge his wife's national ID by replacing her photograph with that of the impersonator.
The fraudulent scheme was exposed when the prospective buyer became suspicious and reported the matter to RIB. By that time, the buyer had already paid part of the purchase amount. The agreed price was RWF 24 million, of which RWF 9.8 million has been recovered.
The two suspects face charges of using forged documents, fraudulently managing marital property, and obtaining someone else's property through deception.
Dr. Murangira urged notaries to be more cautious, citing the prevalence of similar fraud cases.
'There are many schemes, as seen here, where Kayirebwa falsely claimed to be Kayiranga's wife, bypassing the legal spouse to sell the land. Notaries must thoroughly verify all documents, particularly those provided by sellers,' he said.
He further cautioned buyers to conduct proper due diligence before finalizing land transactions.
'Money is hard to earn and should not be wasted. Buyers must ensure they are investing in legitimate and beneficial property,' Dr. Murangira emphasized.
The operation also saw the arrest of a woman accused of stealing $4,000 (approximately Frw5.6 million) and 3,300 Indian Rupees (Frw54,000) from her foreign employer. After the theft, she reportedly gave $2,900 to a man she lives with while keeping the remainder for herself.
Investigations revealed that the employer had left his wallet unsecured, allowing the woman to access the funds. Following the theft, the man reportedly advised her to flee to Ngoma District, where she was later apprehended. RIB recovered all the stolen money.
Dr. Murangira discouraged keeping large sums of cash at home, warning that it creates unnecessary risks.
'Banks are the safest place to store money. Keeping large amounts of cash at home invites temptation and theft,' he said.
The suspects face charges of theft and concealing property obtained through crime.
Additionally, RIB paraded four individuals suspected of involvement in phone theft. The bureau recovered 280 stolen phones worth Frw62.5 million. The phones have since been returned to their rightful owners, while investigations to apprehend additional suspects remain ongoing.
IGIHE
