A 27-year-old woman, Assoumpta Mutatsineza, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for her involvement in the murder of her husband, Theogene Twagirayezu, has appealed her conviction alongside her four accomplices.
In May 2023, Nyarugenge Intermediate Court found Mutatsineza and four others, Alphonse Uyisenga, Vianney Rubabaza, Evariste Ndizihiwe, and Athanase Habiryayo, guilty of participating in Twagirayezu’s murder, which occurred in November 2022 at the couple’s home in Kanombe Sector, Kicukiro District.
However, the group has since appealed the verdict, challenging the lower court’s decision. The High Court in Kigali was expected to hear their appeal on October 20, but the session was postponed as the presiding judge highlighted that one of the defendants had previously asked for the recusal of the judge. The court stated that the case would resume once the president of the High Court rules on the recusal request.
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Delivering the lower court’s verdict on May 12, 2023, the presiding judge said there was sufficient evidence proving Mutatsineza’s involvement. The court ruled that although she was not the one who physically killed her husband, each of the accused played a specific role that contributed to the fatal outcome, making them all legally accountable.
According to court proceedings, investigations conducted by Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and subsequent trial testimonies revealed that the defendants initially confessed to planning and executing the murder. They detailed how the crime unfolded and maintained consistent accounts during the investigation, acknowledging that the act was premeditated and carried out on November 21, 2022, after several failed attempts.
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During a hearing held on May 17, 2023, the prosecution stated that Mutatsineza had confessed to orchestrating her husband’s murder with Uyisenga, allegedly motivated by her lack of affection for Twagirayezu and her extramarital affair with Uyisenga.
Investigations revealed that the victim was attacked in his bedroom, sustaining fatal injuries from hammer blows and knife stabbings. The prosecution said the group had made two earlier attempts to kill him, first by poisoning him.
Court records show that Uyisenga hired Rubabaza to poison Twagirayezu, promising him Rwf 1.5 million as payment. Ndizihiwe and Habiryayo were accused of aiding in the crime.
However, during her appeal, Mutatsineza recanted her earlier confession, claiming she had been forced into admitting guilt. She denied any involvement, saying the murder took place while she was away from home.
Meanwhile, her co-accused, Uyisenga, Rubabaza, Ndizihiwe, and Habiryayo, admitted their roles in the killing.
