Summary:
- The Minister, along with a technical team from the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines and accompanied by PMPU, was inspecting Iron Ore Exploration License No. EL00340, belonging to STEAM Investments in Muko, Rubanda District.
RUBANDA: Police in Rubanda District have arrested five private security guards from Wolves Security Company who allegedly resisted the Minister of State for Mineral Development, Hon. Phiona Nyamutooro, and her technical team from accessing an illegal mining site owned by the National Cement Company at Butare Katoojo in Muko Sub-County, Rubanda District.
The arrested guards are Kiiza Deus, Okurboth Robert, Niwagaba Anthony, Kajugo Mathias, and Mucunguzi Robert. They were disarmed, handed over to the Territorial Police at Rubanda CPS, and charged accordingly.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police spokesperson, stated that the suspects were armed with three rifles. Maate explained that at around 10:00 AM, when the Minister and her team arrived for a fact-finding and inspection mission, the security guards on duty refused to grant them access until the police intervened.
After the inspection, the same security guards blocked the convoy and cocked their guns, threatening to shoot. However, the Minister and her team remained safe and continued with their scheduled duties.
CUE IN KIGEZI POLICE PRO….ON THE MATTER…..ENG//
The Minister, along with a technical team from the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines and accompanied by PMPU, was inspecting Iron Ore Exploration License No. EL00340, belonging to STEAM Investments in Muko, Rubanda District. They are conducting a country-wide tour and consultative engagement on draft regulations for gazetting areas for artisanal and small-scale miners.
The Minister had received a complaint from the directors of STEAM that their exploration license had been trespassed upon by unknown individuals mining illegally without a license, allegedly working for John Muluri Muyambi and the National Cement Company.
