Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of a catholic priest. Father Dr Dominique Karekezi was on Monday morning found dead at his home in Kigabiro Sector, Rwamagana District. He was the rector of the Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Education of Kibungo (INATEK). Police Spokesperson Celestin Twahirwa told The New Times yesterday that two of those arrested were guards while the third suspect was a cook. The trio was working at the deceased’s home. “They are facilitating our investigations,” he said. The late Karekezi’s body was discovered in his room by relatives after he failed to answer repeated calls for hours, prompting the relatives and guards to enter his house where they found his body lying on the floor in his bedroom. “I was seated with one of his relatives…he had been given a cheque by the deceased, but the bank could not cash it because he was not picking his phone. The priest couldn’t answer phone calls the whole of Sunday evening,” said Claude Kayisire a resident. “On Monday morning he was still not picking and after mid-day his phone went off. A suspicious relative decided to go to the deceased’s house to find out why he was not responding to calls. On reaching, he found all doors open and went straight into his room. He was shocked to find his body lying in a pool of blood...he had an injury on his head. His throat was swollen too.” The relatives alerted the Police that susquently transported Karekezi’s body to Kacyiru Police Hospital for post mortem. Results of the postmortem were not yet out by press time. But one resident, who preferred anonymity alleged that the priest could have been strangled. “The Father had visitors in his house on Sunday. Iam ruling out the possibility of natural death. He must have been killed,” said one source close to the deceased. The death shocked residents, fellow clergymen, nuns and INATEK staff. “I am very shocked. On Monday he led the morning mass. We can’t believe what we are seeing, we have lost a dedicated priest, who has done a lot for the Church and community,” said Francois Rugema, a resident of the area. Jean Damascene Rwasamirira described the deceased as a very brilliant priest, who loved to keep a low-profile. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
