The trial of suspected serial killer Denis Kazungu began at the primary court of Kicukiro on Thursday, September 21. Several significant moments marked the proceedings, including the stringent security measures and the emotional reactions from the families of the victims.
In this article, The New Times takes a look at 10 major things that characterised the arraignment of the 34-year-old who is said to have murdered 12 people and buried them at his rented residence in Busanza, Kicukiro.
1. High number of people thronged court premises to hear the case
As the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) vehicle that carried Kazungu arrived at the court on Thursday morning, a good number of people were already there awaiting to hear the trial.
The court premises were crowded with journalists and ordinary citizens. Some of the citizens had to stay outside as they were not allowed in due to security measures.
There was significant interest in the case, with even those who remained outside the court&039;s fence staying until the conclusion of the day's trial and the suspect being taken away in the RIB vehicle.
ALSO READ: How three women escaped death at the hands of Busanza ‘serial killer’ Kazungu
2. Tight security
Kazungu was brought to the court amid tight security. The RIB vehicle in which he was brought had two locked doors – an outer and an inner one. When he got out of the vehicle, the handcuffed suspect was escorted by four armed officers, two of whom were holding him in between themselves.
While inside the courtroom, armed officers stayed close, as others guarded outside. In addition, the people who attended the trial had to go through a security check before being allowed to enter the courtroom.
3. The suspect smiled as he entered the courtroom
Kazungu was smiling as he entered the courtroom. Some social media journalists caught the suspected serial killer’s face glowing as he made his way into the room where his trial was going to take place.
4. An emotional court session
"Oh Jesus, please hold him (Kazungu) accountable for my son Eric,” a woman cried out uncontrollably at the end of the day’s trial. The New Timesconfirmed that the woman is an auntie of the late Eric Turatsinze, a 25-year-old man who was allegedly murdered by Kazungu.
The woman with a noticeable foot disability stood in front of the courtroom, shedding tears. Some individuals attempted to console her, while others observed silently.
5. Kazungu asked to be tried in camera
As the trial started, Kazungu interrupted the session to ask the judge to allow him to be tried in the absence of journalists. The reason he gave for this was that he committed big crimes and did not want them exposed so that people do not learn from him.
The judges turned him down on this, saying the suspect would not be required to detail how he killed his victims at this stage of the trial.
6. Kazungu said he killed his victims because they "wilfully” infected him with HIV
After the prosecutor presented their case against Kazungu, the judge asked him to defend himself. He, however, said he did not have anything to add because what the prosecutors said was true. When the judge asked him why he committed the crimes, he responded:
"Those to whom I committed these (crimes) infected me with HIV wilfully.”
7. Prosecutors said he allegedly killed more than 12 people
According to the prosecutors, Kazungu said during an interrogation that he killed 14 people but managed to do away with evidence of two, which is why only 12 bodies were exhumed from the pit in his kitchen.
The prosecutors did not give details on how he dealt with the evidence of the two victims.
8. Charged on 10 counts
The prosecutors charged Kazungu on 10 counts including murder, rape, torture, robbery, damaging of someone else’s house, forgery, desecration of human corpses, and more.
9. Prosecutors hinted at how Kazungu tortured his victims
The prosecutors hinted at how Kazungu tortured his victims, by forcing them to give him money before he killed them. Referring to survivors’ testimonies, the prosecutors said Kazungu would use a pen to pierce the nostrils of his victims, or use his hands to strangle them, and so on.
10. A short trial that lasted about 40 minutes
Kazungu’s pre-detention trial was a short one, mostly owing to the fact that the suspect had little to say. After admitting that what the prosecutors said was true, the day’s trial was concluded. The verdict regarding whether or not he will be remanded for 30 days as investigations continue is scheduled for September 26.