Rwanda: Authorities find no foul play in gospel singer’s death

An internal audit conducted by the Rwandan Investigation Bureau has ruled out foul play in the recent death of Kizito Mihigo, a gospel singer who died in police custody 10 days ago.

The national prosecuting authority said the findings of the investigation found he took his own life by hanging, only using items in his cell.

Police officers on duty that evening testified they heard no noise or commotion.

Popularly known by his first name, Kizito was arrested and taken into police custody just three days before he died, apparently in an attempt to illegally cross the border into Burundi.

Authorities said he was trying to flee the country to join anti-government rebel groups, but those close to him dispute this, saying he wanted to get to Belgium, where he had previously lived.

Rights groups and activists in the diaspora have cast doubt over this official version of events and are pressing the government for an independent inquiry.

In 2015 Kizito was sentenced to ten years in prison for planning to murder President Paul Kagame and inciting government hatred, but received a presidential pardon in 2018.

Government critics believe he was targeted because of his controversial music, which calls for the remembrance of all those killed during the 1994 genocide.

This is in direct contravention with the official government line, which states the genocide was perpetrated against the ethnic Tutsis, not Tutsis and Hutus.

A spokesman for 36 survivors of the genocide living abroad, Philippe Basabose, wrote an open letter to Kagame saying Kizito had no intention of killing himself, but rather wanted to get married and start a family.

Photo: AFP