Police in Nyanza District are holding a 42-year-old man suspected of defiling a 5-year-old girl at her home in Masagano Cell of Busoro Sector.

The suspect, Leoninas Bizimungu, is accused of having attacked the victim on Sunday at her parents’ home.

He was caught in the act by the victim’s mother, who immediately alerted Police.

"The suspect had gained the trust of the parents who considered him as a family member. On that fateful day, he went to the victim’s home and when he noticed that parents were inattentive, he took the young girl to a room and defiled her,” Nyanza District Police Commander Supt Edouard Baramba said.

"The mother heard the daughter crying in the next room and on getting to the room, she found the suspect in the act. She immediately alerted Police, who arrived and arrested the suspect at the scene.”

He is currently held at Busoro Police Station as investigations continue, while the victim was rushed to Nyanza Hospital for treatment.

Baramba said whereas Police responds fast to reports of defilement and sexual assault, like other crimes, much needs to be done by parents and guardians by watching out for their children and in case of such incidents, provide information early in order to expedite intervention.

"Sometimes cases like these are not reported because the parents feel ashamed or because they know the attacker as a close family friend or relative. But in order to ensure justice and prevent similar attacks, such crimes should be reported immediately,” he said.

Baramba also called on residents to be part of the fight against such crimes and gender based violence in general, through community sensitisation and reporting cases in time.

Defilement attracts life imprisonment upon conviction.