Suspected journalist killers named

KIGALI - The Prosecution has revealed the names of two suspects who were arrested recently in connection with the murder of local journalist, Jean Leonard Rugambage. Rugambage was shot dead on June 24, as he entered his home in the Kigali suburb of Nyamirambo

Friday, July 09, 2010
Augustin Nkusi (R) talking to journalists after yesterdayu2019s press conference (Photo; J. Mbanda)

KIGALI - The Prosecution has revealed the names of two suspects who were arrested recently in connection with the murder of local journalist, Jean Leonard Rugambage.
Rugambage was shot dead on June 24, as he entered his home in the Kigali suburb of Nyamirambo

According to the Prosecution spokesperson, Augustin Nkusi; "Rugambage was shot three times in the head by Didace Nduguyangu who had been contracted by Antoine Karemera.”

"In his testimony, Nduguyangu pleaded guilty and said that Karemera contracted him to kill Rugambage because the victim had killed Karemera’s brother in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” said Nkusi.

Before 1994, Karemera’s brother was a manager at a Banque Populaire branch in Kamonyi District.

Rugambage was once charged by Gacaca courts for his role in the Genocide, got imprisoned for a period of three years but later released in 2007.

According to the prosecution, Rugambage’s release angered Karemera who later paid Rwf500,000 to Nduguyangu to kill him.

Nduguyangu is a demobilized soldier, used a gun he illegally acquired from the Democratic Republic of Congo to kill the journalist.

Nkusi added that after the killing, Nduguyangu rushed and hid the gun at Mount Kigali then proceeded to meet Karemera who was at a bar waiting.

According to Prosecution, someone at the bar, overheard Nduguyangu reporting to Karemera about the murder and tipped off the police.

"In his testimony, Nduguyangu said that he does not regret having killed Rugambage since he was helping a fellow Genocide survivor to kill a person he called a genocidaire,” said Nkusi

According to Nkusi, "from the prosecution’s findings so far, this is a case of revenge and the prosecution will seek a life sentence for the two suspects.”

Ends