Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) on Friday, March 19, paraded Samuel Mushimiyimana, 29, who is suspected of torturing his four year-old daughter for bed-wetting. The suspect allegedly used a wire to beat his daughter. According to Thierry Murangira, the Spokesperson of RIB, Mushimiyimana faces charges of harassing or imposing severe punishment on a child and torture. He committed the crimes on March 17. Murangira explained that the suspect, after recognizing the wrong he had committed, he hid the child in the house for two days, and would go to buy medication for her. However, he added, his neighbor at Rusororo Sector, Gasabo District, reported him to authorities. Speaking to the press, Mushimiyimana pleaded guilty, and said that he committed the alleged crime while he was drunk. “I was also ashamed seeing how my daughter had become because of how I punished her, and I regret it. I was drunk and was not in my normal state,” he said. The suspect was living with his wife (the step-mother of the victim) whom RIB said is also under investigation to know whether she is not linked to alleged atrocity. In his remarks, Murangira urged parents to respect the rights of children. “We call on parents and guardians to be mindful of the rights of children, and not violate them even while correcting children in case they make mistakes. We also request the general public to communicate to authorities whenever they see such unlawful acts,” he said. If found guilty, the suspect will be sentenced to a jail term between 20 and 25, or a life sentence if the child develops a serious injury.
