Karasira Aimable dies on the day he was expected to complete prison sentence

By The Inspirer.

The Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) has confirmed the death of Uzaramba Karasira Aimable, popularly known as “Professor Nigga,” on the day he was expected to complete his prison sentence and regain his freedom.

Karasira died on Wednesday at Nyarugenge Hospital after being transferred from Nyarugenge Prison in Mageragere, where he had been serving a five-year sentence.

In a statement, RCS said he was rushed to hospital after reportedly taking an overdose of medication prescribed for an existing medical condition. The institution added that investigations are ongoing and a medical report is expected to establish the exact cause of death.

His death comes at a time when he had already completed the sentence handed down by the High Court Chamber for International and Cross-Border Crimes in Nyanza, which in 2025 convicted him of inciting divisions among the public and sentenced him to five years in prison.

Karasira had been in detention since May 2021. He faced multiple charges, including genocide denial, genocide minimisation, dissemination of divisive messages, and spreading false information, largely linked to content published on his YouTube channel.

He was also accused of money laundering and failing to justify the source of funds found in cash and bank accounts. During the trial, Karasira maintained that his income came from employment benefits from the University of Rwanda, where he previously worked as a lecturer, as well as support from well-wishers.

Prosecutors had sought a 30-year sentence, but the court ultimately imposed a five-year term and ordered the release of his seized assets.

Before his arrest, Karasira was known as a computer science lecturer and was widely regarded by former students as a skilled academic. He also ventured into music in 2010, performing Hip Hop under the stage name “Professor Nigga.”