{Hagumamahoro Sylvain. The murder suspect pictured above gestures during a court trial held in Public at Kigali Regional stadium in Nyamirambo. The suspect blames the family members of his victim (Bella) for not preventing him from killing the teenage girl.}
{{The man who brutally murdered Bella (Simbi Shalom Bella) has today blamed the victims family of negligence arguing that during the fateful incidence there were several people in the House and did nothing to prevent him from doing what he did.}}
The suspect has neither denied nor admitted to the murder charge during a public trial held at Nyamirambo stadium where hundreds of people turned up to catch a glimpse of the suspect and followed public court proceedings.
Born Hagumamahoro Sylvain the suspect has been using several names including; Hora Sirivesitiri, Mpore Siriveri and Hagumamahoro Sirivani. He hails from Gisagara district in the Southern Province. His parents are Ssematama (father), Uwimana (mother).
Hagumamahoro appeared for trial barefooted, wearing a blue tracksuit trouser with white stripes and a Lacoste T-shirt and a white jacket looked frightened but maintained eye contact with the magistrate.
On his arrival at the stadium, he was handcuffed but later the cuffs were removed. During the trial he sat on a comfortable office chair.
The suspects mother Uwimana was also present at the trial. She wept when her son (suspect) spoke for the first time since his arrest.
Asked to proclaim whether he was aware of the murder charges levied against him, he said;
“There were many people in the house. Why didn’t they come to prevent me from doing what i did to the young girl? Those people should have been arrested because of negligence”.
The suspect is accused of stabbing Bella in the chest and cutting off her neck. The victim died later as she was rushed to hospital.
The Prosecutor intervened saying, “we request the suspect to tell us whether he committed the crime or not before we can proceed”.
Hagumamahoro remained silent there after.
Hagumamahoro was also charged with forgery and illegally changing his names.
He said, when I went to register for the National Identity Card, i was only asked for my names and i told them im Hora sylvestre.
When asked whether those are the names given to him by his parents, the suspect responded saying ‘No’.
The Prosecutor submitted to court saying the suspect had knowingly illegally obtained a national ID after providing false information about his names though the ID in his possession had photo of the bearer.
Prosecution sought a life imprisonment for the suspect on the Murder charge, 7years imprisonment over a forged ID and 5 months for illegally changing his names.
The next hearing is scheduled for April 21st.
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