WESTERN PROVINCE

RUSIZI — A man who was arrested recently in Rusizi district, in connection with the death of his wife has admitted committing the crime.

Evariste Musabyimana, 30, was arrested by Kamembe police this week on allegations of murdering his wife Odetta Mukashema, 27, last Friday. The deceased was a genocide survivor.

Speaking to The New Times at Kamembe police station, Musabyimana confessed hatching a plan to kill his spouse because of the long standing misunderstandings since their marriage in 2004. He explained that in 2006 he had asked village leaders of Rusenyi community settlement, Kinyinya sector in Gasabo district, in Kigali city, to dissolve their marriage but they later reconciled.

"I was the master planner in the murder of my wife (Mukashema) because we had failed to understand each other since 2004 when I married her. In 2006 we went to Gasharu cell in Kinyinya sector of Gasabo district filing for divorce but in vain; so I decided to kill her in order to end our incessant quarrels," Musabyimana said.

Four other suspects were arrested over the same murder. They include Ezechiel Minani Alias Rasta, 30, a resident of Bugarama sector, Katabwe Mukembezi Alias Doctor, 26, a Congolese national, also a resident of Bugarama sector, Samuel Mukyeshimana , 31, and Fidele Dushimimana Alias Kazungu (25). They were all arrested from various places in Bugarama sector in Rusizi where they were hiding.

Musabyimana explained that he had earlier attempted to kill the deceased using witchcraft but failed and decided to hire mercenaries to execute the plan. He however expressed regret over the incident.

He said, "I have now realized that betraying and killing my wife was not the right decision I should have taken. I ask my family, my wife’s family, and all Rwandans to forgive me." He added that he had learnt that killing a person is not a solution at all and advised all married couples with family differences to always settle them amicably.

Musabyimana said that he had earlier given his accomplices the keys of his house in order to easily enter. He reportedly gave them Frw350, 000 as part of the total amount they would get after executing the plan. The total amount was Frw3 million.

Odacci Kamanzi, a brother to the deceased however, dismissed Musabyimana’s conflict claims with her deceased sister. Kamanzi said Musabyimana has been characterized with genocide and ethnic ideologies which could have driven his actions. He alleges that Musabyimana has been threatening to kill his sister on account of being a genocide survivor.

"To me I was not surprised of my sister’s death because her husband (Musabyimana) has been displaying genocide and ethnic ideologies in many ways," said Kamanzi. For example whenever they quarreled, Kamanzi added, Musabyimana could beat up our sister telling her that if it was possible all genocide survivors and their protectors would be killed.

He also believed the man may have killed his wife because she has been accusing him of infidelity. Kamanzi explained that Musabyimana had also wanted to take Frw8 millions that they got from a family house which they sold to Banque de l’Habitat in Kinyinya in Gasabo district in December last year, before migrating to Rusizi.

The deceased’s body was found in the bed at around 6: 0 0 am in a pool of blood with her neck cut off. She was survived by two children, Rose Kariza who is one year old and Claudette Uwase a two weeks baby. Mukashema has been selling second-hand clothes in Kamembe market.

The husband has been selling rice in Bugarama sector. This the second time to arrest Musabyimana over crime. The first time he was arrested over allegations of counterfeiting and uttering forged documents in Kigali city last year, according to security sources in Rusizi.

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