Police in the Rwizi region have arrested a man linked to a recent incident of animal theft following a successful K9-led operation in Kiruhura District.

The suspect, Joshua Nuwamanya, a resident of Akabaare Cell in Sanga Town Council, was apprehended on 16 November 2025 after a police sniffer dog tracked a scent trail from the crime scene directly to his home.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 6:00am when Aggrey Nayebare, a resident of the same village, went to check on his kraal and discovered blood scattered around and several of his animals missing.

"When I reached the kraal, I found blood everywhere. My goats and sheep had been slaughtered, and three of my sheep were missing,"

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Nayebare told police in his statement.

Alarmed by the discovery, he rushed to Sanga Police Station to report the theft. Police swiftly deployed investigators together with the K9 unit to the scene.

Upon arrival, officers examined the area and introduced the sniffer dog, which immediately picked up a scent and followed it for nearly 70 metres, leading the team straight to the suspect's residence.

Police say the suspect was found at home, and several pangas, believed to have been used in the slaughter, were recovered as evidence.

A police officer involved in the operation noted the effectiveness of the dog:

"The K9 unit played a pivotal role in identifying and trailing the suspect. The dog's accuracy helped us recover crucial evidence that links the suspect to the crime."

Nuwamanya was arrested and is currently detained at Sanga Police Station, where he is assisting with ongoing investigations.

Regional security officials say the arrest is part of intensified operations aimed at curbing rising cases of livestock theft in the Rwizi cattle corridor, an area that has long struggled with livestock-related crime.

Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to help combat the vice.