Augustin Shyirambere, the landlord of suspected serial killer Denis Kazungu who was arrested on Tuesday, September 5, said his former tenant was a difficult person who denied him access to his property for inspections and defaulted on rent, leaving a room for unanswered questions for over a year.ALSO READ: RIB arrests alleged serial killer The 34-year-old is suspected of killing and burying people in his rented residence in Gashikiri village, Busanza sector in Kicukiro district.The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) is yet to establish the number of victims but unverified reports indicate they could be more than 10.According to Shyirambere, Kazungu moved into the house in April 2022.ALSO READ: How alleged serial killer picked his victims In the initial eight months, he paid rent on time but then, a worrying change occurred later. Kazungu began to delay payments often giving varying excuses.Shyirambere said: “He had developed a routine of raising concerns about his blocked bank accounts, unpaid bills from his own businesses, and that he would pay me once able to access his accounts.”“Every time I wanted to visit my house, Kazungu would always say no, without giving any reason. The situation pushed me to enlist help from local authorities to see if they could help me access my house.”At the time of his arrest, Shyirambere said, Kazungu had not paid rent for over seven months.“I thought he was just having a financial problem, either with low or no income. However, I asked him to vacate my house but still he refused.”“I have learnt a lesson. I advise my fellow landlords to always ask for their tenant’s identity, make enquiries from their previous landlords and also try to ask about their conduct from local authorities, he said.“They should also maintain a regular presence and vigilance, ensuring the security and safety of their properties.”The suspect is currently being held at Kicukiro RIB station.
