FDU-Inkingi’s Twagirimana escapes from Nyanza Prison
The NewTimes.
Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) have confirmed the escape of two inmates from Mpanga International Prison in Nyanza District, Southern Province.
According to officials, the two escapees include Boniface Twagirimana, the vice-president of FDU-Inkingi – an unregistered political outfit – who was on remand pending the completion of his trial.
He stands accused of crimes related to creation of a criminal gang.
The other escapee is a one Aimable Murenzi, who has been serving a life sentence after he was convicted for aggravated assault with intention to kill, according to Hilary Sengabo, the RCS Spokesperson.
During an interview with The New Times, Sengabo said they got to know about the inmates’ disappearance on Monday morning during a routine headcount by prisons officials.
Murenzi has been in jail for the past 11 years while Twagirimana has been in custody for one year.
“Both suspects apparently jumped over the fence to flee the prison facility though we are yet to identify how they managed to do so; there are signs that they jumped over the fence,” he said.
He said that RCS with sister security organs have launched investigations to trace and re-arrest the escapees and appealed to the general public to alert them whenever they see either of the suspects.
“We have taken measures including installing CCTV cameras in all prison facilities, increase security measures as well as security personnel to ensure the prison facilities are all secured,” he said
It is not the first time that inmates escape from the Mpanga prison.
Early last year, three inmates including former journalist Cassien Ntamuhanga escaped the prison, alongside Sibomana Kirenge and Théogène Batambarije but the latter was re-arrested six months after the escape while two others are still on the run.
Ntamuhanga has since been heard speaking on radio claiming to have left the country to a location he has not disclosed
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