Musanze grenade blast victims discharged

SIX PEOPLE who were injured in a grenade blast in Musanze District on Monday night have been discharged from Ruhengeri Hospital.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

SIX PEOPLE who were injured in a grenade blast in Musanze District on Monday night have been discharged from Ruhengeri Hospital.

The incident took place at about 7:30pm in Mpenge cell, Muhoza sector.

The grenade is reported to have been hurled by an attacker riding on a motorbike.

The Northern Province regional Police spokesperson, Superintendent Emmanuel Hitayezu, said yesterday investigations were still ongoing.

 "The suspect detonated a grenade after being driven passed a military patrol vehicle and the motorcycle sped off to elude arrest. Six people were injured in the blast,” Hitayezu said.

Marie Zaninka, a resident of Muhoza sector, sustained an injury on her neck. She said the incident happened when she was on her way home.

"I was going home on foot. The blast occured after I had given way to a speeding motorcycle.  I fell down thinking I had been hit by the motorcycle. On touching my neck, I felt something like a broken glass which I later learnt was  a grenade,” she said.

"I got treatment and I am feeling well. This was an inhumane act which shouldn’t be happening in Rwanda now,” she added.

Another victim, only identified as Tuyishime, said: "We saw something like fire. I felt I was burnt and screamed only to hear other people screaming as well. We are sure it was done by someone who was riding on a motorcycle.”

This is the second grenade incident in Musanze this month alone. Early on January 6, another grenade killed a one-and-a-half-year-old girl and injured two others in Giramahoro cell, Muhoza sector.

Also, in December last year, unidentified people shot dead a police officer in the same sector.

Meanwhile, following Monday’s incident, Police and local leaders convened a meeting with motorists to discuss ways to ensure security in the area.

Police spokesperson ACP Damas Gatare urged motorists to be vigilant while doing their work and report suspicious elements.