September 30, 2022: Michel Twagirayezu, a Rwanda businessman was killed by Rwanda police in the village of Gashanda, Nyirataba district, sector Cyivuye around 3am. Before his killing, Rwanda police first imprisoned the chairman of his village whom they feared would stand in the way. Michel’s neighbors testified that in the middle of the night, some policemen knocked at his door but he refused to open to strangers. They then brought a chairman from a different village, who called and convinced him to come outside. As soon as he did so, they locked the door behind him preventing his wife from coming to his rescue nor ask help from neighbors.
IN RWANDA, EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS ARE JUSTIFIED
Neighbors testified that the policemen asked him for money and when he refused, they shot and killed him in the presence of the chairman and the police, the very people hired by the government to protect citizens. This extrajudicial killing caused an uproar among citizens. More policemen were deployed in the area. Though protesting is prohibited inside Rwanda, neighbors came together and protested. The police responded by shooting while citizens also responded by throwing rocks. Speaking to the news, the spokesperson of Rwanda police CP Jean Bosco Kabera said that Michel was a drug dealer. Kabera reminded citizens that regardless of what the police does, no citizen is allowed to harm the police though the police are seemingly allowed to harm them, shoot and kill citizens as they see fit. As always, CP Kabera justified the killing saying that the victim tried to oppose the police. Michel left behind a wife and 3 children. His death comes following the death of 4 other people who were recently killed in the area. Citizens say that 4 is only the number that is known to the news but more are those who are killed and their stories never make it to the news.
Christine Coleman 
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