Devote Mukandayisenga 25, was early this week arrested for starving her 12 year old step daughter, Diane Ingabire, who was reportedly found tied and rolled up in a mat in a locked room for close to a month. During a special community work (Umuganda) recently, residents of Shagasha Sector, Nyabishambi Cell in Gicumbi District, became concerned about the girl’s whereabout. Later, local leaders accompanied by some concerned residents stormed   Mukandayisenga’s home where they found Ingabire locked up, weak and starving. Mukandayisenga is currently held at Mulindi Police Station.According to Supt. Francis Gahima, the Northern Region Police spokesperson, Ingabire is said to have spent close to a month locked up without food."We’ve arrested the suspect and took the child to hospital. She was found with jiggers and one side of her body was rotting. The step mother faces five to seven years jail term on conviction,” he said.Gahima said further investigations were underway and called upon members of the public to work hand-inhand with the police to report similar cases. According to Article 153 of the New Penal code, any person who intentionally starves or denies a drink to a person for whom one is responsible without any  intention of causing  death but which starvation or denial of drink causes death,  shall be liable to a prison term of more than five years to seven years.If the starvation or denial of drink is committed with intention to cause death and results into death, the offender shall be liable to life imprisonment.The girl’s father, who was only identified as Mbonyinshuti, is a builder in Kigali.