RWAMAGANA - Police in Rwamagana District have arrested a man who allegedly killed his mother after a quarrel.

Local residents say Innocent Karenzi, 32, a resident of Rukaya in Fumbwe Sector, allegedly beat Didancienne Mukanyarwaya, 58, seriously and  died a few hours after reaching a nearby health centre.

At the police station, the suspect narrated that the quarrel started after he intervened to stop the deceased from beating his son.

"My mother beat up my son and it is when I tried to restrain her that  she started to fight me.

In reaction I hit her on her mouth which  accidentally hurt her tongue  and she started bleeding profusely,” Karenzi said.

"I later heard that she died.”  

However, area authorities gave a different account, saying Karenzi hit the elderly woman with a wooden chair. 

"The cause of the death has nothing to do with what he claims.

Eye witnesses including the family grand children told us that he hit the deceased with a wooden chair,” said Antoine Uwumuremyi, the Executive Secretary of Fumbwe. 

"These are families that are characterised by conflict, drunkenness and violence.

In that family the mother and the son had always fought over land and property issues.”

Police said Karenzi will soon be produced in court for prosecution.

Domestic violence ranks high in the district.A vast majority of conflicts are due to land wrangles.

Others are exacerbated by drug and alcohol abuse, according to a recent district security report. 

Ends