Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) on Tuesday, September 5, apprehended a suspected serial killer Denis Kazungu, a resident of Busanza in Kicukiro District, City of Kigali. Chilling details would later emerge that the suspect had murdered more than 10 people in a period spanning months. Most of his victims are believed to have been women whom he allegedly raped before killing them in cold blood. Why he particulalry targetted women and how such brazen violence could be carried out by one man in a residential neighbourhhood in the capital for long without anyone noticing remain a mystery.
The 34-year-old man is suspected to be responsible for the murder and burial of people within his rented residence located in Gashikiri village, Busanza Cell in Kanombe Sector.
Below, we look at some unanswered questions about the alleged serial killer.
1. How many people did Kazungu kill?
According to RIB, the investigation to establish the number of the victims is still ongoing. However, reports from Kazungu's neighbours indicate that the alleged serial killer may have killed 12 girls.
2. What was his motive?
There is no information regarding the exact motive of the sickening violence. Neighbous as well as families of the victims and the public in general will be hoping for details on what drove him to commit the heinous crime as the case progresses.
3. Was he killing only women?
According to RIB, during interrogation, Kazungu revealed that he always found his victims in the bar. He would then convince them to go with him to his home, and after reaching his residence, he would rape them, rob and kill them.
However, neighbours say that he may have killed a young man they lived together when he first rented the house.
4. Why didn't authorities arrest Kazungu earlier?
According to Boniface, an elderly resident in a neighborhood where Kazungu lived, the alleged serial killer never allowed people to enter into his home.
He said that whenever the local leaders or the landlord came to his residence, he would become distraught and refuse their entry, claiming that he claimed there was a cobra inside the house, which deterred them. But why didn't local authorities act early or did someone sleep on the job?
5. Did he have accomplices?
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The investigators haven't revealed if Kazungu had accomplices in the crimes he committed. However, some neighbours believe he might have been helped by some people in certain activities like digging the hole where he buried the victims, considering its depth. According to RIB's spokesperson Thierry Murangira, the investigators found a pit Kazungu had dug in his kitchen, where he used to bury his victims.
6. Does the suspect have a criminal record?
RIB spokesperson Thierry Murangira said Kazungu had been arrested earlier on in July on charges of theft, rape, robbery and use of threats, but was granted bail because there wasn't enough evidence.
According to Emmanuel Nizeyimana, the executive secretary of Busanza cell, Kazungu was apprehended previously under the case of robbing girls money and mobile phones, and it was suspected that he would bring them at his residence and rape them. But no one suspected he had committed murder.
