The quintet was paraded to the media on Wednesday, October 7, at Metropolitan Police headquarters in Remera.
They are said to be behind the murder of the 59-year old Anicet Nsengayire in the night of August 30, when he tried to fend them off as they were endeavoring to break into the house to steal valuables.
The suspects are identified as Jean Claude Hagenimana alias Nyinya, 32, Eric Ndayishimiye alias Dedud, 23; Telesphore Nizeyimana alias Viye, 38; Alex Nsengiyumva, 25; and Innocent Rukundo, 20.
In the fateful night August 30, all the five suspects, who are members of the same ring, allegedly broke into the house of one Anicet Habarurema located in Gako Cell, Masaka Sector in Kicukiro District, to steal.
The deceased Nsengayire was Habarurema’s driver and stayed at the latter’s home.
Habarurema narrated that in that fateful night, he heard a groaning sound outside and rushed out of the house to intervene.
“I was met with shock when I reach out and found my driver, whom we had worked together for over 20 years, lying in a pool of blood dead,” Habarurema narrated.
By the time Habarurema got out, the killers had already fled with a flat television set, which they took out of the house after breaking in through the window.
Eric Ndayishimiye, one of the arrested suspected killers and thieves; also narrated what transpired that night.
“The target was to steal valuables in the house of Habarurema, especially electronics. However, in the process, someone (Nsengayire), who was sleeping in the quarters, somehow heard us and came out to prevent the theft,” Ndayishimiye said.
He added: “Nyinya and Viye, who were still inside the compound, overpowered him (Nsengayire), Nyinya used a steel hand saw to cut his throat leaving him dead.”
He further disclosed how the previous night, they had stolen a fridge in Muyumbu, Rwamagana District; how the whole chain involves more than 50 people including buyers or dealers in second-hand electronics especially in Kandahari, Gasabo District; and how he was recruited by Nyinya about two years ago.
Ndayishimiye described Nyinya as one of the ringleaders and how they sometimes work with internal people especially domestic workers, either those that are still active or those who were dismissed.
Ndayishimiye’s narrative was also corroborated by one Lambert Nizeyimana, who gave an account of the conversation the suspects had with him after committing the inhuman act.
“I sell fried G-nuts and they were my frequent clients, especially Eric (Ndayishimiye) sometimes telling me stories related to their deals; this time they told me how they orchestrated the theft and killing someone in the process,” Nizeyimana said
Nizeyimana added: “From the story they told me, Eric was the spotter and he remained outside the gate; others climbed the fence, Viye vandalised the window and broke iron bars using the objects they had; Nyinya entered the house, took the TV set which they passed over to Eric, who had remained behind the fence.
However, in the process of the burglary, someone (Nsengayire) tried to fend them off, Nyinya and Viye killed him. They were bragging how they easily finished him using a steel hand saw.”
RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera condenmed the heartless act and commended the role of the public in identifying and arresting the prime suspects to face justice.
“These five suspects killed Nsengayire in the process of burglary, which is punishable under article 170 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general.
It has been over a month of investigation and search for the alleged killers, and we laud the role of members of the public to bring these suspected criminals to justice,” CP Kabera said.
Article 170 states that “any person, who carries out theft with a weapon, commits armed robbery.”
If armed robbery causes death or is committed by an organised gang, the penalty is life imprisonment.
