The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has apprehended four individuals in connection with the tragic death of Shema Christian, a 15-year-old student of Petit Seminaire Zaza high school in Ngoma District.
Shema died on June 14 after allegedly being hit with a stick and kicked in the stomach by fellow students who accused him of failing to return chairs to the dining hall.
According to a statement from the RIB, the arrested suspects include two senior five students, Egide Tuyizere, 20, and Armel Murenzi, 18. Both are charged with assault and willfully injuring a person, resulting in death.
Additionally, Father Alexandre Nkomejegusaba and Father Jean Bosco Mbonigaba, staff members at Petit Seminaire Zaza, are charged with neglecting to assist a person in danger.
Despite being informed of Shema's severe condition following the assault, they allegedly dismissed it as mere sickness and failed to act promptly.
According to RIB’s statement, suspects have confessed to their crimes and are currently detained at Zaza RIB Station while their case files are being prepared for submission to the Prosecution Office.
If convicted, Tuyizere and Murenzi could face penalties under Article 121, which states that if assault or battery leads to death, the penalty is imprisonment for a term of not less than fifteen (15) years and not more than twenty (20) years and a fine of not less than five million Rwandan francs (Rwf 5,000,000) and not more than seven million Rwandan francs (Rwf 7,000,000).
Fathers Nkomejegusaba and Mbonigaba could be punishable under Article 244, which states that any person who fails to assist or seek assistance for a person in danger while in a position to do so, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, they are liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one (1) year and not more than three (3) years and a fine of not less than three hundred thousand (Rwf 300,000) Rwandan francs and not more than five hundred thousand (Rwf 500,000) Rwandan francs.
RIB has reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice and has warned against crimes of assault and neglect.
As investigations proceed, the body of the deceased was sent to the Rwanda Forensic Institute Authority for postmortem.