A Rwandan woman was early yesterday stabbed to death in London, UK, allegedly by her former partner. Lyna Keza, 30, was allegedly stabbed from her home in Leyton, London. The pair had a two-year-old daughter.

"It is with deep regret and sadness that I inform you of the passing on of our sister, friend and an active member of the community, Linah Keza,” reads a statement by Patrice Gateja Shema, the chairperson of the Rwandan community in London.

"Further information and updates will be communicated to you through various mediums such as e-mails, Facebook and text messages as we receive it.”

Shortly before the statement, The Guardian newspaper, UK, had reported that "Police cordoned off King Edward Road after receiving reports from London Ambulance Services of a stabbing at 4:30am. A woman in her late 20s was pronounced dead at the scene.”

This was later confirmed as the deceased’s neighbourhood.

When contacted, yesterday, a shaken Jack Hodari, a brother of the deceased living in Kigali, confirmed the death of his sister, saying the news to him was still like a bad dream.

"It’s so tragic that good people die this young. I am not saying this because she was my sister, but the whole world can tell you this. Look at all the friends she had, see what they are saying (on social media),” he said by phone.

‘Suspect commits suicide’

Indeed, the social media, especially Facebook was awash with posts expressing dismay over the gruesome act.

"My heart bleeds, my sister, my first childhood friend, my play mate, my cousin...how can this be happening? I need to wake up from this dream ...speechless!” Hazel M Bamwanga Kagoro, a close relative, wrote on her Facebook timeline.

By press time, unconfirmed reports suggested that the suspected killer had committed suicide and his body had been discovered at a night club he co-owned.

Other reports indicated that the lover is a Ugandan. However, this paper could not independently verify the reports.

Keza was born in Uganda on January 2, 1983. She attended part of her primary education in Uganda, before her family repatriated to Rwanda after 1994 where she joined Nyagatare Primary School in the Eastern Province. 

Keza completed secondary education at the former Kigali International Academy before joining Kigali Institute of Science and Technology but left for UK nearly a decade ago and had lived there since.

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UPDATE

Developing: Media reports from the United Kingdom indicate that the suspect is actually not dead and was last night put in police custody.