RUKUNGIRI
Police in Rukungiri District are investigating a murder in which a woman was allegedly hacked to death by her husband in what authorities describe as a domestic violence incident.
The victim has been identified as Bonny Nduhukire, a resident of Kamuzinzi village, Kiganga Parish, Nyarushanje Sub-county. She was allegedly attacked on Tuesday afternoon by her husband, Teodoroh Tumwekwatse, using a sharp panga.
Eyewitnesses say the suspect returned home during a heavy downpour and found his wife in the kitchen cooking sweet potatoes. He allegedly attacked her, inflicting a deep cut to the neck that killed her instantly.
The body was discovered by a visiting neighbour in a pool of blood, who alerted local leaders. Police responded to the scene, documented it and conveyed the body to a nearby health facility for postmortem examination.
The Kamuzinzi LC1 chairperson, Apollo Kamagara, confirmed the incident and said the couple had a long-standing domestic conflict, which he believed to have triggered the fatal attack.
“This was a case of domestic violence. The suspect had repeatedly threatened the victim,” Kamagara said, adding that last year Tumwekwatse allegedly attempted to burn his wife, but the plan failed.
Kamagara further revealed that the suspect is a known user of alcohol and illicit drugs.
After the attack, the suspect reportedly attempted to take his own life by ingesting poison. He was rescued by police officers and rushed to a health facility, where he is currently receiving treatment under guard.
Police said investigations are ongoing and that the suspect will be charged with murder once he is discharged from hospital.
Authorities have again urged the public to report cases of domestic violence early, warning that unresolved family disputes continue to result in loss of life.
