Gisagara, Rwanda — August 26, 2025 — Police in Gisagara District have arrested a couple suspected of involvement in the death of a young man in 2021, after his remains were discovered hidden in a toilet at their home.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hassan Kamanzi, spokesperson for Rwanda National Police in the Southern Province, confirmed the arrest of a 35-year-old woman and her 42-year-old husband.
The victim, a 27-year-old man, was reportedly working for the couple as a guard for their banana plantation.
According to the suspects, the man, identified by neighbors as Bicece or sometimes Nyinya, had also been tasked with watching over a batch of local brew to prevent theft.
They claim that in November 2021, he drank excessively while on duty and was found dead the following morning.
Rather than reporting the incident, the couple allegedly dumped his body into their toilet and concealed the crime.
The case only came to light after residents alerted authorities on Tuesday, leading police and the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) to recover the victim’s remains.
CIP Kamanzi stressed that even if the suspects did not directly kill the man, covering up the death and hiding the body constitutes a serious crime. “This is not only unlawful but also unacceptable in Rwandan society,” he said.
Police are now working with local authorities to trace the victim’s family so that he can be given a proper burial. Due to the length of time since his death, most of his clothing had already decomposed, and he had no identification documents.
Kamanzi noted that the crime occurred during Rwanda’s strict COVID-19 lockdown in 2021, which may have made it easier for the suspects to conceal the death.
He urged residents to act with humanity and report any suspicious incidents that could threaten public safety, emphasizing the importance of close cooperation with law enforcement.
The suspects are currently being held at Ndora Police Station in Gisagara District pending further investigations.
