{Police in Nyanza District is holding a 42 year old man suspected of defiling a five year girl at her home in Masagano Cell of Busoro Sector.
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The suspect, Leoninas Bizimungu, is believed to have attacked the victim on May 17 at her parents’ home.
He was caught in the act by the victim’s mother, who immediately alerted Police.
“The suspect had gained the trust of the parents who considered him as a family member. So on that fateful day, he masqueraded as their visitor. When he noticed that parents were inattentive, he took the young victim to a room and defiled her,” the District Police Commander of Nyanza, Superintendent Edouard Baramba, said.
“The mother heard the daughter groaning in the next room and when he reached there he found the suspect in the act. She became devastated but was brave to immediately alert Police, who immediately arrived and arrested the suspect at the scene.”
He is currently held at Busoro Police Station as investigations continue, while the victim was rushed to Nyanza Hospital for treatment and examination.
Superintendent Baramba noted that whereas RNP responds quickly to victims of defilement and sexual assault, like other crimes, more needs to be done on the side of residents, and parents and guardians in particular by watching out their children and provide information early in order to enable fast intervention.
“Sometimes cases like these are not reported because the parents feel ashamed or because they know the attacker as a close family friend or a relative. But in order to bring about justice and prevent similar
attacks, such crimes should be reported immediately,” he said.
“Evidence should be preserved – that is to say, victims should not take a shower, eat, brush teeth or remove any clothing before an examination.”
He also called on residents to be part of the fight against such crimes and gender based violence in general, through community sensitization and reporting suspects in time. Defilement attracts life imprisonment upon conviction.
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