Africa-Press – Rwanda. Kicukiro Primary Court on Wednesday, February 2, sent on a 30-day remand Marie-Chantal Mukanzabarushimana who is suspected of having a role in the death of five-year old Elsie Akeza Rutiyomba, who died by drowning.
According to the judge, there was enough reason to suspect that Mukanzabarushimana was culpable which is why she should be remanded, pending further investigations.
During the hearing, which took place on January 27 , Mukanzabarushimana had denied having a role in the death and explained that she didn’t know how Akeza drowned or who did it.
Adding that the time she was discovered dead, she was in the hospital and had an account to the effect.
Akeza was dead on January 14, after drowning in the water tank at the home the suspect shared with the deceased’s father, Florian Rutiyomba in Busanza Cell, Kanombe Sector in Kicukiro District.
The judge said that the court analysed the merits of the preliminary evidence presented by prosecution and found that there were serious grounds to suspect Mukanzabarushimana committed the crime.
Responding to reasons advanced by the suspect that she was sick and had a young child to take care of, the judge said that the prison has doctors to take care of her and they have people to take care of babies in prisons.
The prosecution had previously requested for her remand, saying that there was a likelihood that she may escape justice if granted bail due to the body of incriminating evidence against her among other reasons.
According to the prosecution, they have evidence to the effect that the suspect premeditated the murder of Akeza, including testimony from the house help who said that the suspect continuously sent her out of the home, creating an impression that she could have wanted to be alone to be able to commit the crime.
The house help, Dative Nirere, was initially a co-suspect but eventually, prosecution seems to have lost interest in her because by the time she was arraigned, Mukanzabarushimana was produced alone.
Prosecutors have also said they have various accounts to the effect that Mukanzabarushimana was in conflict with her husband over his relationships with other women with whom he had children.
Mukanzabarushimana was arrested on January 15 and she will remain in custody for 30 days as further investigations are being carried out and have five days to appeal against the remand decision.
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