Rwanda National Police (RNP) on Friday, September 12, confirmed the arrest of one suspect out of three who were captured in a viral video assaulting and injuring a woman in Nyarugenge District on Thursday.
The incident occurred on the evening of September 11, at around 8:30PM, in Rwampara Cell, Nyarugenge Sector. According to officials, the suspects attacked the victim with the intent to rob her, taking away her phone and Rwf32,000.
The machete-wielding robbers assaulted and injured the woman and another person who had come for her rescue. The hunt continues for the other two suspects, according to police.
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"The woman was rescued by a local community patrol group known as Irondo, but the attackers injured him more seriously during his intervention,” Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, a spokesperson for City of Kigali, told The New Times.
Ntirenganya added that both victims received treatment, the woman at Rwampara Health Centre, while the patrol member was admitted at Nyarugenge Hospital before being transferred to the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK).
"So far, they have both been discharged,” Ntirenganya said.
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The official said that law enforcement agencies would not tolerate such acts of criminality.
"We will continue working with different institutions to fight insecurity and banditry. The country provides opportunities for work, and we encourage people to use them,” she added.
CIP Wellars Gahonzire, RNP Spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said investigations are ongoing as efforts to apprehend the two remaining suspects continue.
When The New Times visited the scene, there were no visible signs of the incident, as activities had returned to normal and the spot had been cleared.
People living in the nearby area said such violent acts by thieves happen often, calling for stronger measures to prevent them.
"The latest incident got more attention because it was recorded and shared on social media, but thieves armed with traditional weapons like machetes remain a serious threat,” one resident said.