The Rwanda National Police in Rusizi District have arrested a housemaid suspected of attempting to set fire to a two-year-old child she was looking after in Rwimbogo Sector. The child was rescued just in time, with neighbors finding him partially burned on the head and hiding in a corner of the house.
According to the maid, she claimed she had bathed and put the child to bed, only to suddenly notice smoke filling the house. Fearing the intensity of the flames, she called for neighbors instead of entering the room herself.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire started from the mattress where the child had been lying. However, the exact cause remains unclear, as an inspection of electrical wiring ruled out a power fault.
The boy’s father, Nshimiyimana Alexandre, expressed gratitude to the neighbors who managed to rescue his son alive. He urged authorities to carry out thorough investigations to uncover the truth.
Rwimbogo Sector Executive Secretary, Joas Nzayishima, confirmed the arrest.
“She is currently being held at the Gashonga RIB station for questioning, as she was the one left in charge of the child at the time of the fire. Investigators need to establish her role and whether she is directly linked to the incident,” he said.
At the time of the incident, the child’s father, who works as a cooperative accountant, was in Kigali, while the mother, a teacher at Gashonga School, was also away at work, leaving the housemaid as the only adult present.
After being rescued, the child was rushed to Mushaka Health Center, later transferred to Mibilizi Hospital, and then referred to the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) for further treatment.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
