A 20-year-old man from Ruhango District attacked his 70-year-old mother with a machete, injuring her in several places. He later claimed he had mistaken her for Satan.
The young man lived with his mother in Karehe Village, Bunyogombe Cell, Ruhango Sector, Ruhango District.
On the morning of September 4, he struck his mother on the neck, arm, and hand. When asked why he attacked her, he insisted that he had not attacked a person but rather “Satan.”According to TV1, the elderly woman immediately fell into a coma. It is suspected that her son suffers from a mental illness that triggered his violent behavior.
One witness said, “We found him locked inside a room, saying he didn’t want Satan near him.”
Neighbors revealed that this was not the first time such an incident had occurred. They appealed to local authorities to take the young man into custody or separate him from his mother before he eventually kills her.
Mental Health Concerns Behind the Attack
Police in Ruhango District later arrested the man and took him to a provincial hospital for medical attention since he was showing signs of mental illness.
CIP Kamanzi Hassan, the Southern Region Police Spokesperson, told TV1 that people with mental illness can display unpredictable behavior if they fail to take their prescribed medication.He explained: “We decided that he remain at the hospital to receive treatment. Later, he will be transferred to Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital for further care. If doctors confirm his condition improves, he will be allowed to return home under continued police supervision.”
Legal Framework for Mental Illness Cases
Under Rwanda’s Penal Code No. 68/2018 of August 30, 2018, a person with a diagnosed mental illness cannot be held criminally responsible for actions committed under the influence of their condition.