Noheli was arrested on Thursday, March 31, at his electrical shop in Kiruhura, Nyabugogo Cell, Kigali Sector in Nyarugenge District, where 26 circuit breakers were recovered.

A circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by an overcurrent or short circuit. It interrupts current flow to protect equipment and to prevent the risk of fire.

RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that the arrest of Noheli was based on information provided by other members of the ring, who were also arrested recently.

"There were cases of people, who were vandalising electricity infrastructure in different parts of the country mainly stealing circuit breakers, which prompted swift operations," CP Kabera said.

He added: "In the recent operations, Police first arrested two people, who were behind this vandalism in Rulindo, Gicumbi, Gakenke, Bugesera, Rwamagana, Kamonyi and Muhanga districts where circuit breakers were stolen from power lines.

The two suspects identified Noheli as the buyer of the circular breakers, which they were stealing. Police went to Noheli’s electrical shop in Kiruhura where 26 circuit breakers stolen from power lines were recovered and they took him into custody."

The suspect was handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) along with the recovered exhibits.

"These are criminal acts that should be reported by anyone with information on such individuals, who destroy public infrastructure," CP Kabera warned.

Article 182 of the law determining offences and penalties states that any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and not more than five years with a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million.