Police on Friday arrested Innocent Niyitegeka, 57, after he was allegedly found defiling a five-year-old girl.

According to the Police, Niyitegeka, a resident of Busanza Cell, Kanombe Sector, was caught red-handed by a resident. The eyewitness immediately alerted the Police, who later arrested the suspect.

The child was rushed to Rwanda Military Hospital, Kanombe for medical examination.

The Police spokesperson for the Central Region, Superintendent Modeste Mbabazi, condemned the heinous act and urged Rwandans to report such crimes.

"Sexual assault is devastating to the physical and mental health of children. When it occurs, the victim must be rushed to the nearest health facility for medical examination and evidence collection that will help in the prosecuting the offender,” he said.

Mbabazi added, "Rwandans have to come together to denounce such offenses and other gender-based crimes.

If there are people who are afraid to talk openly about these assaults because they fear stigma, they should understand that their silence could lead to more attacks on innocent children.”

Speaking about the issue, Beline Mukamana, the head of anti-gender-based violence and child protection directorate at Rwanda National Police, said when a child is sexually assaulted, help must be availed to them in the quickest time possible if they are to heal completely.

Psychologists say victims of defilement and rape respond differently to the crime; some become dreadfully depressed, while others become very angry.

According to Mukamana, if the victims sense that justice might not be served, they sometimes end up trying to seek revenge or indulge in crime.

"If your child is sexually assaulted and you delay to report the case, chances are that the suspect will attack someone else.

Defilement is one of the most prevalent gender-based crimes in Rwanda.

If found guilty, Niyitegeka could face life in prison.

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