Police in Kisoro District have arrested five members of the same family in connection with a string of armed robberies that have plagued the district in recent weeks.
The suspects, all residents of Bupfupfu Village, Muramba Parish in Muramba Sub-county, include the family patriarch Twizerimana Lawrence (57), his wife Mujawimana Njerica (47), and their sons: Manirakiza Anthony (30), Kwiringira Junior (29), and Ndakundimana Brian (23).
According to police investigations, Twizerimana is suspected to have acted as the ringleader of the criminal gang, coordinating operations and concealing both stolen property and firearms used during the heists.
Their arrest follows the earlier capture of two other suspects: Irankunda Gerald alias “Ndereya” (24) of Kamonyi Ward and Habyarimana Valence (40) of Kisoro Hill, both residents of Kisoro Municipality.
Authorities have linked the gang to the late Irankunda Desire, a Congolese national and repeat offender who was lynched by a mob in Nyakinama Sub-county on June 4, 2025, after being caught in the act of suspected criminal activity. Investigations suggest that Twizerimana had adopted Desire, who in turn trained and recruited Manirakiza into the gang.
Manirakiza was arrested after CCTV footage implicated him in a high-profile robbery on April 29, 2025, at Mugomberero Trading Centre in Muramba Sub-county, where over UGX 23 million was stolen.
Following Manirakiza’s arrest and Desire’s death, Irankunda Gerald allegedly recruited Habyarimana Valence to carry out further criminal acts, including a recent robbery in Mutorere.
Kisoro District Police Commander, Ben Niwamanya Kashumbusha, confirmed the family’s arrest, citing confessions made by earlier suspects. A firearm and one live bullet were recovered from Shaaza Ground, where the gang had reportedly hidden them.
CUE IN NIWAMANYA……ON ARRESTS……ENG//
Kisoro Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Robert Tukamuhabwa, also confirmed the incident. He revealed that intelligence reports had connected the recovered firearm to several criminal cases in Kisoro dating back to 2019. Tukamuhabwa commended the security agencies for their efforts and assured the public that security in the district had significantly improved.
CUE IN DRDC TUKAMUHEBWA…..ON THE MATTER…….ENG//
Despite the charges, some relatives of the suspects have denied collective involvement, claiming that Manirakiza Anthony acted independently and was solely responsible for the crimes.
CUE IN SUSPECTS…..ON THE ISSUE…..RR//
Police say investigations are ongoing, and more arrests may follow as they dismantle the broader network behind the spate of robberies.
