EASTERN PROVINCE NGOMA — A medical assistant at Kibungo Medical Centre, in Ngoma District, was last week arrested over abortion. Elie Munezero, 31, was picked from his office for allegedly aiding Prisca Uwamahoro, 19, a student of Musamvu Secondary School, who is also detained, to abort a two- month pregnancy. Also held is the medical centre’s owner only identified as Dr. Kanimba. Police first arrested the girl who after interrogation revealed that Munezero helped her abort. “We called Uwamahoro at her school for interrogation but she first denied the charges, insisting that they were rumors which were being spread by her enemies,” the police source said, adding that they later opted for a medical examination which confirmed that she had aborted. In a separate interview with The New Times, Uwamahoro, who is the first born in a family of six, confessed to the charges and disclosed that Munezero carried out the abortion for Rwf50, 000. “He assured me that with that money he will help me safely,” she said. “I had no option but to use part of my tuition fees and borrowed from friends since the boy responsible for the pregnancy had fled to Tanzania after realising that I was pregnant. I was also scared of my parents.” Last Friday, the trio was still held at Kibungo Police post pending prosecution. Abortion attracts a sentence of between five and 20 years upon conviction. Ends
