KARONGI - A man who is accused of defiling an 11-year-old girl in Rubengera Sector, Karongi District, shocked the court when he contradicted the testimony he had earlier given.

Ilidephonse Nzaramba, 40, is said to have previously admitted before court that on August 20, he enticed his victim, a young girl (names withheld) with Rwf300 and defiled her in a dilapidated building near his home.

However, during Wednesday’s court hearing at the scene of the crime in Rubengera Sector, the suspect retracted his earlier statement, by claiming that it was actually the victim who had readily requested to have sex with him.

Scores of residents and the alleged victim attended the hearing.

Witnesses say that the girl feared to speak out until her aunt accidentally discovered four days later that she had been defiled.

And medics confirmed that Nzaramba left the troubled girl with a sexually transmitted disease. He faces life imprisonment if convicted. The ruling is set for November 19.

The Intermediate Court of Karongi which conducted the trial says that trying suspects at the scene of their crimes delivers a strong message to the local population about the committed crimes.

"We often request to have trials outside our court rooms as one way of getting closer to the local population in order to encourage them to maintain good relationships with the courts of law. This is very important in crime prevention,” Elevanie Mukamuganga, the state prosecutor in the case said.

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