HUYE - Police in Ngoma, Huye District, has arrested a security guard who allegedly beat up and ordered 31 school girls to undress as a form of punishment.

Celestin Karekezi, a local defence force personnel, who was hired by National Institute of Agriculture (ISAR), to guard a forest located near Group Scholaire Officielle de Butare (GSOB), is alleged to have accused the girls of collecting firewood from the forest.

The matter was reported to Police by the children’s parents who complained that Karekezi, had abused the rights of their children.

The parents alleged that the pupils were ordered to strip naked, before being lashed several strokes of the cane.
"This is a pity and it is horrible to order 16-year old girls to strip naked,” said one of the parents who made a statement at Police headquarters.

Upon arrest however, Karekezi who admitted to beating the pupils, denied ordering them to undress.

"I can prove that I did not order them to strip naked. I simply caned them to show them that it was prohibited to collect firewood in the forest,” said Karekezi.

Frank Murenzi, a coordinator of local defence forces in the district, told The New Times that there have been misunderstandings between area residents and security guards over collection of firewood from the forest.

He, however, added that that does not give any guard powers to subject people to any form of punishment.

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