WESTERN PROVINCE

RUSIZI — A Genocide Survivor has been killed in Gihundwe cell, Kamembe sector in Rusizi district.

Odetta Mukashama, 27, was murdered by unknown assailants at her home last Friday evening. The body was found in the bedroom at around 6 am on Saturday in a pool of blood with her neck cut off. The deceased who was born in Munyove village in Giheke sector, was survived by two children, Rose Kariza who is one year old and Claudette Uwase a two weeks toddler.

Speaking to The New Times at the scene on Saturday morning, Jean Damascene Nshimiyimana, a brother to the deceased said he suspected that Mukashama was killed by genocide suspects and their accomplices. He alleges that the suspects, four of whom are already in police custody have the mission of killing the whole family in order to erase evidence of their practices during the 1994 Genocide.

The suspects currently detained at Kamembe police station were identified as Jean Batista, 31, Gratien Ndabananiye, 56, and other two whose names were not readily available.

"Sincerely speaking my sister did not have any conflict or problem with the surrounding neighbours. I believe her murderers are Genocide suspects and their accomplices who have the intention of clearing our whole family in order to avoid genocide charges," Nshimiyimana said. He added, "Those who killed her did not take anything in the house including Frw80, 000 the deceased had. It means they were after her life."

Nshimiyimana however, noted that the deceased had never testified against anybody on genocide charges in the area. Mukashema has been selling second-hand clothes in a market at Kamembe. The deceased and her spouse Evariste Musabyimana, 38, also a businessman selling rice in Bugarama had relocated to Rusizi recently from Kinyinya sector, Gasabo district in Kigali city.

According to Nshimiyimana, the attackers first locked him and their house girl, Jean Uwiringiyimana in their bedrooms in order to deter them from coming to the rescue of his slain sister.

The housemaid [Uwiringiyimana] told The New Times that she heard some people walking in the compound at around midnight but she thought that they were drunkards by-passing their home.

Ends