Rwanda National Police

Parents and guardians have been called upon to reduce reliance on housemaids and know and monitor characters of their maids.

The call follows the arrest of Donatille Murekambanze who is accused of assaulting a one-and-half year old baby with an electric iron.

Murekambanze, who was a house help of Gilbert Bahati at his home in Isangano, Kicukiro sector of Kicukiro district, is accused of burning their child with an iron on May 7, while parents were away.

The baby was found abandoned in the house by neighbours who broke it after they were alarmed by its groaning. It was found with several burns on the neck and shoulder.

Murekambanze, who admitted to the crime, was apparently not in the house and has since been in hiding.

She was arrested last Thursday in Muhima sector, Nyarugenge district where she was staying with her elder sister.

She had worked as a baby-sitter for the couple for only two months.

She told Police that she had no grudge with the family adding that she was under the influence of drugs when she committed the act of violence.

She alleged that she had smoked cannabis that morning, given to her by a certain boy who visited her the same morning.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Athanase Karango, Kicukiro District Police Commander appealed to parents to always know the people they employ and their address, in case of any incident.

He also reminded them not to be trapped by work and forget their children.
“Some parents are occupied by work and have rare time for their children and even don’t take time to know their house-help and children develop characters of the maids, which is an act of being irresponsible on the parents side,” CIP Karango.

He also appealed to members of the public to provide information on people involved in drug-related crimes so as to apprehend them and prevent other crimes fueled by drug abuse.