Police have arrested three men accused of brutally attacking a woman with a machete in Rwampara Cell, Nyamirambo Sector, on the night of September 11, and later paraded them before journalists.
The suspects—Gatari Edmond, alias Black (38), Hakizimana Jack, alias Claude (33), and Rurangwa Jean-Paul, alias Muchezajyi (40)—allegedly ambushed Nyampinga Claudette as she was returning home near Rwampara Mosque. According to police, Rurangwa first forced the victim to the ground and stole her handbag containing two phones, one used for mobile money transactions, after which Hakizimana slashed her with a machete.
The victim sustained deep cuts to her face, arm, and leg. She is now nursing those wounds but has survived the ordeal.
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Police Spokesperson ACP Boniface Rutikanga told reporters that immediately after the crime was reported, a manhunt was launched that very night, even before videos of the attack began circulating on social media.
He said the operation combined police intelligence, community policing structures, Irondo night patrols, and local authorities who worked hand in hand to trace the suspects’ movements.
By the following afternoon, all three men had been tracked down in their respective hideouts and arrested. “This swift operation demonstrates the sophistication of Rwanda’s police force and the strength of our cooperation with the public,” ACP Rutikanga said as he assembled the suspects before journalists.
The arrests came amid public outrage after the footage of the attack spread online, but police emphasized that the coordinated response was already underway.
Residents’ tips and community policing networks were instrumental in confirming the suspects’ identities and whereabouts.
The three suspects remain in custody as investigations continue and authorities prepare formal charges.
Police assured that the case will be handled with the seriousness it deserves and stressed that security agencies remain vigilant to prevent such acts of violence.
