Woman arrested over husband’s death

MUSANZE - A woman of Musanze District and her 13-year- old son who allegedly critically hacked her husband, resulting into his death, has been arrested and detained at Muhoza Police Station. The suspects, identified as Pelagie Nyirabarigira and her son (names withheld because he is a minor), are alleged to have cut Bonaventure Musemakweri, 46, three times on the head, bled profusely and died shortly after reaching Ruhengeri Hospital. The incident happened in Micaca Village, Nyange Sector last Sunday. The duo was captured within the village where they were hiding, after a tip off by family members, Police said yesterday. The Regional Police Commander, CSP Peter Hodari, commended residents for their cooperation that led to the arrest of the suspects. Speaking from Police, however, the woman denied responsibility for death of her husband, and instead accused her son of committing the gruesome act. “I swear before God, I did not participate in killing my husband, his own son killed him,” she said. “I had tolerated his inhuman acts of beating, drinking for over 30 years, we had eight children, why would I kill him at this age?’’ She explained that when the quarrel over Rwf16,000 raised from the family sheep that the husband was reportedly demanding, ensued, she withdrew to the kitchen. The boy, who has been in Primary Five at Ecole primaire de Nyange, confessed to having murdered his father, arguing that he repeatedly harassed, starved them and mistreated their mother. “Yes I got a machete and cut him, then I fled and hid in a plantation,’’ the boy said. Nyirabarigira accused her late husband, Musemakweri, of having been greedy, neglected their children and constantly assaulted family members under the influence of alcohol. “I didn’t attend the burial because I feared for my own life, residents had threatened to lynch me, I will wait for justice to take its course,’’ she said. Ends