The Rwanda National Police has explained circumstances under which two people were shot dead by Police officers in Nyamasheke District on Monday.

The shooting incident, which took place in Gasayo Cell of Karengera Sector in Nyamasheke, claimed the lives of Zakary Niyibizi, 33, and Protogene Niyonsenga, 29.

In a statement released yesterday, Police explained that the officers acted in self defence after an irate mob tried to disarm them.

It all started after the executive secretary of Gasayo Cell, Felix Ndagijimana requested for Police officers to accompany him on his routine inspection duties in the Cell.

At about 10:30am, in the company of two police officers, Ndagijimana arrived at a site where one of the deceased, Niyibizi, was illegally constructing a residential house in a demarcated ‘High Risk Zone’ in Nyamugari.

Niyibizi was then requested to halt the construction works and demolish the structure; instead he reacted violently threatening them with a machete, with the help of his father, Balthazar Bicamumpaka, 51, according to Police.

At this point, the two started yelling under the guise that they had been attacked, attracting community members who came for purported rescue.

"Despite the explanation of what was going on by the executive secretary to calm the residents, the latter turned violent, captured their leader, tied and assaulted him contrary to articles 529 and 530 of the Rwandan penal code,” Police said in the statement.

"This forced Police officers to shoot in the air three times in self defence and to disperse the advancing violent crowd as stipulated under article 38 of the law that establishes RNP, and to rescue the executive secretary who was under imminent danger after being beaten and injured on the head,” Police added.

According to the statement, the angry residents tried to disarm one of the Police officers, tore his uniform and, in the ensuing scuffle, the officer shot and killed Niyibizi, who was threatening the life of the executive secretary with a machete.

This action dispersed the crowd that had also launched an assault on the two officers, and paved way for them to evacuate the unconscious Cell leader, the statement added.

As they were fleeing the scene with the rescued leader, the officers were allegedly pursued by the residents before they fell into an ambush at a bridge about one-and-half kilometres away, mounted by another group of residents.

In the process to find their way out of the two groups attacking from two directions, the officers shot and injured two other residents, Protogene Niyonsenga 29, and Valence Ngiruwonsanga, 19, in the thigh at the bridge, before the police backup arrived from Karengera Police and restored order.

Niyonsenga is said to have succumbed to excessive bleeding as he was being taken to the hospital.

The injured, including Bicamumpaka, who sustained bruise on the forehead as a result of the scuffle during the rescue of the executive secretary, are currently admitted at Bushenge hospital.

Police said a team of senior investigators has since been dispatched from CID headquarters in Kigali for investigation reinforcement to ensure that justice is served.

"It is surprising that at this stage when police-community partnership is at a commendable level, we can find people rebelling against local leadership and police.

"The public is urged to always refrain from violent behaviour and taking the law in their own hands, and instead follow existing laws and regulations to resolve issues at hand,” Police added in the statement.

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