SOUTHERN PROVINCE

GISAGARA—As crime statistics throughout the provinces roll in, bad news comes from south. Three murders have been committed in the last month, two of them against Genocide survivors in Gisagara.

According to district police commander superintendant Eric Mutsinzi, a number of arrests had been made in the cases while other suspects were still on the run.

"We are holding a number of people who are suspected to have had a hand in the killing of Costasia Mukamurara a resident of Kigongo Sector, Esperance Uwantegye, a resident of Nyanza Sector, and Alphonsine Mukakabera, a resident of Gashubi,” said Mutsinzi.

"The motive of the murders is not yet clear.” On August 31, Costasia Mukamurara, 70, a Genocide survivor and witness was found beheaded in her own bedroom.

According to police, her testimonies in Gacaca cases may have put her in danger. A number of arrests were made and files have been forward to courts for prosecution.

Then, on October, 1 Esperance Uwantegye, 70 and also a Genocide survivor and witness was also found dead in her house.

Though the cause of death is still officially unknown, authorities have confirmed that there is evidence of stones and garbage between thrown through the house, breaking parts of the home. 

As police have taken the body for autopsies, clear results have yet to be disclosed. Most recently, on October 3 Alphonsine Mukakabera was murdered in a grenade attack at her home where she lives with her husband.

Attackers ransacked the house and left with the family’s radio and bicycle. Police suspect theft as the main motive of the killer because neither of the two is a Genocide survivor.

Since the murders, a security meeting has been convened by district vice-mayor Heshron Hategekimana to step up security sensitisation campaigns.

"As police and army authorities continue to pursue the killers, we are going to intensify sensitisation campaigns in all the sectors of the district,” said Hategekimana.

"We call upon the local population to report all suspected cases of ill intentions so that we can address the situation before it gets out of hand.”

According to district army commander Captain Willy Baguma, a mapping of all Genocide survivors has been made to ensure their safety.

"Deaths as a result of feuds in families are difficult to detect and that is why we call upon people in neighbourhoods to be vigilant and report such cases to authorities,” said Baguma.

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