Ex-soldier arrested

NORTHERN PROVINCE MUSANZE - A Musanze man who attempted to kill his wife has been arrested and scores of military items recovered from him.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Maniragaba faces charges of illegal possesion of firearms. (Photo B Mukombozi).

NORTHERN PROVINCE

MUSANZE - A Musanze man who attempted to kill his wife has been arrested and scores of military items recovered from him.

He was arrested last week, charged by Muhoza Lower Court and remanded to Ruhengeri central prison, after admitting to have owned illegal firearms which he said were for his ‘personal security.’

The accused , Claude Maniragaba, a demobilised soldier was reported by his children to residents who in turn tipped the police.

The children complained that the accused had long standing domestic conflicts with his family.

After the tip off police mounted a search operation on the  house belonging to the accused. In the operation police recovered the grenades and other military gear, which included a pair of army uniform, three rain jackets and boots.

When The New Times visited the family, the  wife to the accused, Eugenie Nyirahakizimana, narrated that, she had been subjected to domestic violence, including death threats from the accused.

"He had subjected me to various forms of abuse such as battering. He  had left me to fend for the family alone,’’ the mother of four said.

According to Nyirahakizimana, her husband who has  been away for two months, started  acting strangely upon his return.

Nyirahakizimana, claims that she reported her problems to local authorities but nothing was done to address the matter.

Ends