Several parents in Juru village in Nyamabuye cell in Gatsata Sector in Gasabo District are yet to recover from a shock that befell them in October, when they found out that their young boys had been defiled – some multiple times – by a man who lived in the neighbourhood.

The suspect is a 19-year old man.

In total, 17 children – all boys aged between seven and 12 - were defiled within a space of just two months.

"It was one evening in October this year when my grandson who is in primary two, complained of a pain in the rectum, saying that a man in the neighbourhood had molested him had refused to give him a toy he had promised,” said a 60-year old woman whose grandson is one of the victims.

Like the rest of the parents, she preferred to speak anonymously so as not to expose her grandchild to stigma.

"That very evening other children in the neighbourhood immediately reported having the same issue with the same man,” she said.

The distraught grandmother added: "The perpetrator whom we know in the neighbourhood by his nickname "Putu” defiled my grandson. He did this three times using toys as bait.”

She immediately informed the village leader and security personnel who launched an inquiry.

"So many other children started complaining about the same issue. Some said he had forced himself onto them. All victims are boys,” she said.

According to her, Rwanda Investigation Bureau got involved and when they interrogated the suspect, he immediately admitted to committing the crime.

He was immediately arrested and detained from the cells at the sector offices.

"What happened to my grandson hurt me badly as a parent. He was only targeting young boys he was able to lure with toys. My child said he would first use cream on them before inserting his organ in their anus. I think something is wrong with him mentally. He should be examined.”

All the children were taken –in company of their parents – to Kacyiru Isange One Stop Centre where they were tested and offered physiological support.

"My son said that the perpetrator had threatened to kill him if he ever told anyone,” said another mother, on why the children did not report their ordeal for long.

Another mother has two children who were defiled; one eight the other 10.

"The perpetrator admitted that he raped my children multiple times,” she said, amidst tears.

She said her children were tested and found to be fine around the rectum and had no infections but she was not sure if there could not be any consequences to them as they grow up.

The parent also called for a thorough mental check up on the perpetrator, adding that courts should award some compensation to the victims by the perpetrator.

The father of these two children said the justice should run its full course.

"He should be incarcerated for a long time. He is not someone you would want released into a community going by the atrocities he committed,” said the father.

Other neighbors said the perpetrator had dropped out of school in 2015 and started to fabricate toys which he sometimes would sell in the neighbourhood and beyond.

"I suspect that the perpetrator might have mental issues and that should be examined. My child was tested and is safe. I really don’t wish life imprisonment for the suspect,” said another neighbour.

Perpetrator faces life sentence

The suspect has been tried and prosecution last week made their final submission before Gasabo Intermediate Court, seeking a life sentence for the 19-year old suspect.

The verdict will be announced on December 29.

According to the penal law, defilement is punishable with imprisonment between 20 years and life, depending on the circumstances.

Latest figures show that in the first six months of 2020 some 2,157 cases of defilement have been reported to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).

RIB said that while 3,152 cases were reported in 2018 and 3,623 in 2019, there were indications that the number this year would most likely be higher.

Of these, 3,135 cases reported were girls while 80 were boys.