Former local politician behind the hacking of eight cows in Rugarama

EASTERN PROVINCE GATSIBO—Former officer of Matunguru cell J. Baptist Bagirubwira and two others were on Monday arrested in connection with the slashing of eight cows since May of this year. Recently, numerous cattle have been killed or injured intentionally, for no apparent reason, and the culprits were, until now, at large. Police together with sector administration have been tracing the people behind the cutting of cows until Monday when they caught Bagirubwira with his two young boys whom he was sending out for the same mission. He promised to give the pair a fee of Frw50,000 if they properly carried out the mission and swore them to silence.Possible motives for the criminal act including the fact that Bagirubwira was not reelected to his position and was doing ‘everything possible’ to ruin the campaign of current officer Theonest Baziramwabo. Executive secretary of Rugarama, John Mushumba, said that for a long time they were perturbed by the cutting down of the cows in the sector because they saw no motive until they netted the culprit. “Bagirubwira’s plan was that after all this insecurity, people would be frustrated by the new responsible [officer] to the extent that he would not stand for the next coming elections” Mushumba said. Of the eight cows cut since May this year, only one has died, while the rest have been treated and recovered. The two boys, Emmy Dusingizimana, 15, and Ndikubwayo Sereviriany, 17, say that the mission that was given them by Bagirubwira was to cut all the cows in the Mudugudu of Nyenyeri. Police have confirmed the arrest and said that after investigations the two boys would be sent to the prosecutor in Nyagatare. Currently, Bagirubwira is being detained at the central police in Gatsibo, while the other two are at the sector police post in Rugarama. Ends