Genocide ideology cited as motive

WESTERN PROVINCE
 
RUSIZI - A man was arrested yesterday in Rusizi District, Western Province for allegedly strangling to death his wife, a Genocide survivor.

According to police, Asteria Nyiraguhirwa (39) was strangled by rope at around midnight, allegedly by her 45-year husband, Celestin Nsengumuremyi.
 
Nsengumuremyi, who has since pleaded guilty of killing his wife, is said to have dumped the body in a banana plantation belonging to the family.

The husband was arrested together with his nephew, Joseph Iryamukuru and the two are currently being detained at Kamembe police post.
 
According to police, Nsengumuremyi is accused of killing his wife because of her status as a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
 
"What I can tell you for now is that the deceased was murdered by her spouse because she was a Genocide survivor according to reliable information we have obtained from family members and area residents,” said a police officer. 
 
The accused however during an interview, differed on the motive behind killing his wife, instead saying that he killed her because of a long-standing family feud.

"Yes I murdered my wife using sisal rope but I did not kill her because she is Tutsi or a Genocide survivor. I did it because of several family conflicts that have been going on between me and her,” Nsengumuremyi told The New Times shortly after his arrest.
 
According to Claude Nsengumukiza, a brother to the deceased, his brother-in-law has for long been threatening Nyiraguhirwa with death for being a Genocide survivor.
 
He added that in December last year, Nsegumuremyi injured the deceased in the head and she was admitted at Gihundwe hospital for two months.

The late Nyiraguhirwa is survived by seven children; three boys and four girls.
 
In April this year another Genocide survivor, Ramadan Uzabakiriho (29) was also murdered in Kamembe sector in Rusizi district.

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