Huye: Details emerge for 141 genocide victims’ bodies discovered under house

Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has arrested seven people for concealing information about the remains of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that were recovered under a house in Huye District. ALSO READ: Probe launched after discovery of remains of over 100 Genocide victims in Huye As of January 25, at least 119 bodies had been recovered. The number has since increased to 141 as of January 28. ALSO READ: Who concealed the information on Genocide victims at Kabgayi? Thierry Murangira, RIB’s spokesperson, told The New Times on Sunday, January 28, that the suspects arrested for concealing the information include 86-year-old Jean Baptiste Hishamunda, Seraphine Dusabemariya, 61 , Petero Habimana, 89, Mariani Musasangohe, 50, Marie Josee Uwabega, 53, and Mediatrice Uwimana, 54. Sifa Nyirakiromba, 68, was released while the six suspects will be arraigned in court ALSO READ: 10 arrested on suspicion of withholding information on Genocide victims. The first six bodies were discovered in October, 2023, as workers were building a fence around the compound that belongs to a one Jean Baptiste Hishamunda in Ngoma sector. After exhuming the remains of the victims around the home and the kitchen, a decision was taken to demolish the main residential house to continue exhumation activities which led to discovery of more bodies. According to testimonies, the area was inhabited by soldiers of the genocidal regime, two of which are said to have committed genocide crimes including the son of Hishamunda, who is currently serving a sentence in Huye prison after pleading guilty. Despite pleading guilty he never shared information about the victims' remains dumped in mass graves at his home.” “The suspects are being pursued for undermining evidence of genocide against the Tutsi and information about it,” Murangira said. ALSO READ: RIB launches inquiry into concealment of Genocide victims’ remains in Mibilizi Relationship and how the suspects were arrested Murangira explained that Seraphine Dusabemariya, who inherited the land from Hishamunda, hired workers to landscape the area and build a fence. The builders discovered some remains and informed local leaders. He added that the suspects were related. Dusabemariya, Musangangohe, and Uwabega are children of Jean Baptiste Hishamunda, while Habimana and Uwimana are neighbours of Dusabemariya. “Those arrested were sent to prosecution.” Concealing information about genocide remains is a crime according to law n° 59/2018 of 22/8/2018 on the crime of genocide ideology and related crimes. articles 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10, prohibit any actions that are aimed at denying, undermining, or trivialising the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Any person who commits the said offence, upon conviction, is liable to imprisonment of not less than seven years and not more than nine years, with a fine of not less than Rwf500, 000 and not more than Rwf1,000,000. Message ahead of Kwibuka30 Theodate Siboyintore, the president of Ibuka in Huye district, told The New Times that concealing the information about whereabouts of genocide victims’ bodies is still a serious crime 30 years after having experienced 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. Ibuka is the umbrella of Genocide survivors. “Neighbours and the owners of the home concealed information about the victims’ whereabouts. Young people have been urged to learn and understand Rwanda’s history as the country prepares to mark the 30th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The appeal was made on Saturday, January 27 by Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Jean-Damascene Bizimana as he launched preparatory activities leading up to Kwibuka30, which will begin on April 7 up to July 4. The Genocide against the Tutsi claimed more than one million lives within 100 days. The preparatory activities, themed “Rubyiruko amateka yawe” (loosely translated as Youth, know your history) were launched in Huye District, where local residents paid their respects to the Genocide victims who are laid to rest at a memorial at the University of Rwanda campus.

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Huye: Details emerge for 141 genocide victims’ bodies discovered under house