RWAMAGANA - Police have arrested two suspects on charges of attempted murder. The duo, Bernard Africa and Theoneste Uwamahoro, are said to have hired an assassin to kill Jean Nepo Ndagiwenimana, a resident of Rugarama, Nzige Sector in Rwamagana, who is married to Africa’s sister, accusing him of helping his wife to secure a share of her parents’ property.

Africa, 41, who hails from Rwamagana District, is the Veterinary Officer of Mushikiri Sector in Kirehe District while Uwamahoro, 32, a resident of Masaka Sector in Kicukiro District, is a pharmacist in Rwamagana.

The two, who were presented to journalists, yesterday, are currently held at Remera Police Station.

Speaking to journalists, Police Spokesperson, Supt. Theos Badege, said that the arrest followed a tip-off from the would-be assassin, who the suspects had contracted for Rwf 500,000.

"We investigated and secured exhibits pinning them,” Badege said.

The hired killer, who was supposed to execute his mission last Tuesday, had been paid Rwf 280,000 upfront by the time of arrest.

Police presented a bank statement of an account from the Kimironko branch of Bank Populaire, where the money had been deposited coupled with a statement from MTN Rwanda, indicating that the money had been sent through the telcom’s mobile money service.

Africa allegedly paid the killer through Uwamahoro.

Speaking to journalists, Africa accused Ndagiwenimana of ill-advising his sister to claim a share of their parents’ land.

He also said that Ndagiwenimana owed him Rwf 200,000, which he had refused to refund.

Ndagiwenimana, however, dismissed the claims and instead said that it was his wife who owed Africa the money which she was yet to reimburse as agreed.

Uwamahoro, on the other hand, had other plans up his sleeve. He was also allegedly planning to kill his ex-wife, Claudette Tuyisenge, who they legally separated five years ago, to stop her from claiming a share of his property as instructed by court.

Tuyisenge claimed that Uwamahoro had often attempted to kill her to no avail. She also accused Uwamahoro of killing their only child, which she said was done to prevent her from claiming a share of the property.

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