The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has arrested three men suspected of stealing a total of 17,980,641 Rwandan francs from various fuel stations across the country.
The arrests followed multiple complaints filed by fuel stations that reported being robbed through similar methods. The suspects have been identified as Nsabimana Straton, alleged to be the ringleader, along with Ntagwabira Vincent and Mwesigye Paul. They reportedly deceived fuel station attendants by asking to use their phones for payment verification before manipulating the system to transfer money to themselves.
According to RIB investigations, the suspects would visit fuel stations, refuel their vehicles, and pay electronically. When the attendant noticed that the payment was incomplete, the suspects would pretend to verify the issue, requesting to use the attendant’s phone. Once in possession of the phone, one suspect used a laptop connected to the MTN MoMo Business Partner Portal to access the station’s payment account. By selecting the “Forgot Password” option, the system sent a One-Time Password (OTP) to the phone they held, allowing them to reset the password and transfer money to their own accounts — all without needing the physical SIM card of the station.
The trio reportedly stole nearly 18 million francs from nine fuel stations located in Kigali, Nyagatare, Muhanga, Nyabihu, and Huye districts.
They face charges including forming or joining a criminal gang, obtaining property by fraud, and illegal access to computer data or networks.
RIB has urged fuel station employees to remain vigilant and never hand over their payment phones to anyone under any circumstances, emphasizing that such actions create opportunities for sophisticated fraud schemes.
The bureau also warned individuals involved in similar scams to desist immediately, stating that its advanced investigative capabilities ensure that such crimes are easily detected and offenders are brought to justice.
According to Rwandan law, forming or joining a criminal gang is punishable by imprisonment of between seven and ten years. Fraudulently obtaining another person’s property carries a prison term of two to three years and a fine ranging from three to five million francs. Unauthorized access to computer systems or networks is punishable by six months to two years in prison and a fine of one to two million francs.
