At about 4am, yesterday Hakizimana together with one John Harerimana allegedly broke into a house in Nyanza of Gatenga Sector as occupants were asleep.
However, as they were collecting the targeted electronics that include a flat television set and a home theatre, after breaking the door into the house, the occupants heard them and made an alarm, which attracted the neighbours, who rushed for rescue.
As the suspects who were armed with metallic objects, attempted to flee, they were surrounded by the residents who managed to capture Hakizimana and Harerimana escaped, and recovered all the stolen electronics they were fleeing with.
Area residents, who had earlier called police as they rushed to help their neighbor, said that the suspects attempted to engage them in a fight to find their escape route.
A thief has only 40 days, so the saying goes. Bosco Hakizimana’s 40 days literally run out on January 21 when he attempted to break into a residential house in Kicukiro District.
Hakizimana was shortly taken into custody by Police and currently detained at Gikondo police station as investigations are still underway to also apprehend his accomplice, who’s still on the run.
Supt. Modeste Mbabazi, Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali thanked the residents for the spirit of community policing and neighbourhood watch.
“Community policing is a vital tool that can break the criminal chains and ensure total safety and security in communities. It is my hope that this cooperation between police and the public sends strong message wrongdoers” Supt. Mbabazi said.
He said that this kind of house break-in by use of violence is punishable under articles 304 and 305 of the Rwandan penal code.
Article 304 defines armed robbery as theft carried out by a person in possession of any instrument, utensil or any other sharp, piercing or blunt object which can be used to kill, injure or strike.
Under article 305, A person who commits armed robbery in an occupied house or its outbuildings, even if it is temporarily occupied or used for carrying out tasks, shall be liable to an imprisonment of eight to ten years.