Authorities in Nyamasheke District are investigating the brutal killing of a 63-year-old woman, Thérèsie Nyirangirinshuti, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, who was found dead in her home in Ngoboka, Shangi Sector.
According to Mukankusi Athanasie, the Vice Mayor for Social Affairs in Nyamasheke, local authorities were alerted to the incident around midnight.
“The information was reported at midnight. She lived alone, though she had two children who are both married and living with their families,” Mukankusi said.
The victim was found with severe injuries, having been hacked in both cheeks in what officials are describing as a deeply disturbing and targeted attack.
Mukankusi confirmed that Nyirangirinshuti was a known genocide survivor, adding that four individuals suspected of involvement in the killing had already been arrested, while investigations continue to identify others who may be connected.
The murder has sent shockwaves through the local community, with neighbors being consoled by authorities to prevent widespread fear.
The incident comes as Rwanda is in the midst of its annual 100-day mourning period, commemorating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed the lives of an estimated one million people.
Mukankusi noted that such acts of violence during this sensitive time have the potential to retraumatize survivors and affect national healing efforts.
Efforts to reach IBUKA, the umbrella association for genocide survivors, for an official comment are ongoing.
This latest tragedy follows a similarly horrific incident in Rukumberi Sector, Ngoma District, where another genocide survivor was brutally murdered and her head discarded in a latrine.
That act was widely condemned across the country.
Authorities have vowed to ensure justice for the victims and emphasized the importance of continued vigilance and community support during the national mourning period.