Rwamagana - A 45-year old man is fighting for his life at University Teaching Hospital Kigali (CHUK), after he was hacked with an axe by his wife in Munyaga sector.

Sylivine Mukakalisa, 46, was arrested after initial investigations indicated that she attacked her husband, Anastase Mwendezi, while he was asleep on Tuesday.

Mwendezi, was first admitted at Rwamagana Hospital, before being transferred to CHUK as his condition deteriorated.

Shock engulfed residents of Rwimbogo village in Kaduha cell when police found a sharp axe stuck in the victim’s head.

Police said they found the victim groaning in pain on his bed amid a pool of blood. The incident happened at 1.30 a.m.

Police says it is treating Mukakalisa as the prime suspect since all signs showed she had a hand in the attempted murder.

"No door or window of the house was broken to let in outsiders as the woman claims. The axe used to smash the head of the victim, belonged to the same family,” said Superintendent Alex Rutabayiru, the District Police Commander (DPC) of Rwamagana, who was at the crime scene.

Although Mukakalisa denies the allegations, close neighbours said she was largely responsible.

Alfred Kabanda, a neighbor, said the couple had had family conflicts that could have culminated in the gruesome incident.

"We focus a lot of attention on battered women in our society, because their plight is so common. But strange as it may sound, men are also victims of domestic violence,” Kabanda said.

Meanwhile, Police Spokesman Superintendent Theos Badege condemned the incident, which he blamed on domestic violence.

"Suicide and murder are cases that emanate from domestic conflicts should be avoided by all means and when it happens, parties in question should follow the course of law,” he appealed.

Police is still carrying out investigations.

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