Rwanda Police in Ruhango District have arrested a 19-year-old man suspected of brutally killing his grandmother after attacking her with a machete, reportedly accusing her of bewitching him.
The incident occurred early on the morning of November 14, 2025, in Kabuga Village, Kabuga Cell, Mbuye Sector, Ruhango District, and quickly circulated among local residents due to its shocking nature.
According to eyewitness accounts, the young man went to the home of his grandmother, identified as Mutumwinka Thérèse, 72, and allegedly hacked her multiple times, causing her immediate death.
The Police Spokesperson for the Southern Province, CIP Kamanzi Hassan, confirmed that the suspect is accused of dismembering his grandmother cutting her legs, arms, and headin a violent assault that left the community in disbelief.
He stated: “The suspect claimed his grandmother had bewitched him, which he believed was the cause of his mental instability. That is what residents say might have driven him to commit the crime.”
CIP Kamanzi added that the suspect is currently detained at Mbuye Police Station, while the victim’s body has been transported to Kinazi Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
He expressed condolences to the bereaved family and emphasized that further medical and psychological assessments will be conducted to determine whether the suspect indeed suffers from a mental health condition or if there were other underlying factors behind the alleged crime. Legal procedures will follow once investigations are complete.
