Preliminary investigations have dispelled suspicion of alleged serial killer Denis Kazungu having accomplices or engaging in organ trafficking.
There were multiple reports that the 34-year-old who stands accused of multiple murders and concealing the bodies in a pit he had dug within his rental home in Kicukiro District had accomplices and was an organ trafficker but the Rwanda Investigation Bureau says the suspect acted alone.
"He was acting alone, a fact supported by both Kazungu's statement and that of victims who managed to escape his residence after being robbed,"Thierry Murangira, the Spokesperson of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) said.
Additionally, investigators examined the financial transactions conducted through Kazungu's mobile money account, revealing no evidence of involvement with a criminal network.
Kazungu was apprehended on Monday, September 5. During questioning, he confessed to luring his victims from bars to his home, where he would subsequently rob and murder them.
Meanwhile, the investigation into this gruesome case is ongoing, with Murangira noting that the exact number of victims remains undetermined due to the decomposition of some bodies.
"We await results from the Rwanda Forensic Institute (RFI) to ascertain the precise count," Murangira said.
It is anticipated that the investigators will conclude their inquiry into Kazungu's case by next week, at which point they will submit the findings to the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) to initiate the trial proceedings.
While the trial location has not been finalized, there is a possibility that Kazungu will face a community trial in the area where he allegedly committed the crimes.
Antoine Mutsinzi, Kicukiro District's Executive Administrator (DEA), informed The New Times that local residents have expressed their desire for the suspect to be tried in Gishikiri Village, where he resided in a secluded house.
"We have previously conducted community trials in cases involving suspected murderers in Kanombe Sector, and we may follow the same path in Kazungu's case, as it is permissible under the law, "Mutsinzi explained.
