The police spokesman for Kigezi sub-region, Mr Elly Maate
Four Rwandan bar attendants have been arrested in Rukungiri District for allegedly causing the death of their colleague, Wase Diana, 19, who refused to give them a matchbox to light their cigarettes.
According to the Police spokesman for Kigezi region, Mr Elly Maate, the incident happened on Saturday at Nyarushanje stage cell, Ibanda parish, Nyarushanje sub-county.
“It’s alleged that on Friday night, the suspects, together with the deceased, while they were operating a bar, wanted to smoke and asked for the matchbox that was kept by the deceased. She became violent instead of responding to their request, and they developed a fight where they ended up hitting her around the neck, and she fainted,” Mr Maate said.
He added that she was rushed to St Andrews health centre in Nyarushanje trading center and later referred to Kisiizi Hospital, where she was pronounced dead
The suspects, identified as Elikoze Zuwaheze, Zane Mutesi, Kolodina Muhawenimana, and Pasikalina Omutono Owase, were arrested after the police were alerted and visited the scene of the crime.
In a separate incident, the police in Kanungu are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of James Agaba, 22, whose lifeless body was discovered lying under a tree with injuries on the face and marks around the neck.
According to Mr Maate, the deceased had left home on Friday at around 19:00hours to go for coffee milling but didn’t return home. His body was found the next morning, and the police were informed.
“The police at Nyamirama were informed, and the scene of crime was visited with a Sniffer dog, which tracked up to the bar of one Niwagaba Rumecho, who was arrested to help in investigations,” Mr Maate said.
The Kigezi regional police commander, Mr James Kawalya, recently highlighted that while cases of murder had reduced in Rukungiri district, Rubanda District is now taking the lead with four cases of murder recorded every month. He cited domestic violence, trivial misunderstandings, and land conflicts as the main causes of murder cases in the region.
“We appeal to the people to avoid taking the law into their own hands but rather report their grievances to the authorities for possible redress,” Mr Kawalya said.