Police in Rwanda’s Southern Province have arrested a man suspected of setting fire to a neighbour’s compound and livestock shelter, with preliminary information suggesting the incident may be linked to a longstanding dispute between the two families.
Residents of Rwabuhanga Village, Bukinanyana Cell, Musha Sector in Gisagara District said they were shocked to discover that their neighbour’s compound had been set on fire, with the flames spreading to a livestock shelter.
The incident occurred during the night of September 24-25, 2026, at around 11 p.m., while Nyirarusange Adelphine and her family were asleep.
The fire started at the fence surrounding the compound before spreading to the livestock shelter, where two cows and a pig were kept.
The pig later died from injuries sustained in the fire, while the two cows were injured and are receiving veterinary treatment.
Bagirishya Aime, a neighbour of the affected family, said the incident could be connected to a dispute that has reportedly existed between the two families for some time.
He said residents believe the dispute may have stemmed from a young man who allegedly impregnated a girl from the family but refused to marry her. Residents suspect that the fire may have been set by the young man or someone from his family.
“There have been disagreements between these families for some time, and residents suspect that they may have led to this incident,” Bagirishya said.
The Southern Province Police spokesperson, CIP Hassan Kamanzi, confirmed that police had arrested Ndinkabandi Vincent, who was identified by residents as a suspect in the incident.
“Based on information provided by residents, Police arrested a person suspected of involvement in setting fire to the compound fence. He has now been handed over to RIB for further investigation,” Kamanzi said.
CIP Kamanzi said the suspect was handed over to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) at Save Police Station, where further investigations will determine whether he was involved in the incident.
Police have urged residents to avoid using violence to resolve disputes and instead seek assistance from relevant authorities and community-based mechanisms such as Friends of the Family.
Authorities also continue to call on residents to play an active role in preventing and resolving conflicts by reporting suspicious activities and disputes promptly.
Police said timely information from the public is essential to preventing incidents that could threaten the safety and security of communities, stressing that maintaining public safety is a shared responsibility.
