Nyamagabe woman to answer for spouse’s murder

A 30-YEAR-OLD WOMAN accused of killing her husband has been charged with murder. Dative Uwamahoro, 30, appeared before Nyamagabe Intermediate Court, yesterday, to answer charges of killing Corporal Francois Minani, 34, who was serving in the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF).

Thursday, November 14, 2013

A 30-YEAR-OLD WOMAN accused of killing her husband has been charged with murder.Dative Uwamahoro, 30, appeared before Nyamagabe Intermediate Court, yesterday, to answer charges of killing Corporal Francois Minani, 34, who was serving in the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF).Minani’s body was found in a pit-latrine following a confession by the accused, Police said. The was a year after he went missing.The military man went missing about a year ago in his home village of Musange Sector in Nyamagabe District. Since his disappearance, detectives had been seeking clues to his whereabouts.Earlier reports suggested Minani might have fled the country, but subsequent investigations failed to establish any reasons to back up such a possibility. It is only until November 4 that detectives finally recovered his decomposed body in his home pit-latrine.Following the breakthrough in the investigation, Police arrested Uwamahoro in Kigali.A second suspect, Claudine Mukeshimana, a resident of Kamonyi District, was also arraigned before the court. She is accused of conspiracy to the murder and concealing information that could have led to the arrest of the suspect earlier.Uwamahoro pleaded guilty to the charges, while Mukeshimana pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit the murder although she admitted she did nothing to provide information about the murder.At the opening of the hearing, the prosecution, represented by Oscar Butera, asked for a 30-day period of provisional detention to allow further investigations into the murder.Butera told court that there were tangible grounds that if the suspects were given bail, they could flee or interfere with investigations. As a matter of fact, he said, the prime suspect was arrested as she attempted to flee.Judge Athanase Yaramba was yet to rule on their bail application by press time.