×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Rwandan woman kills husband after he inherits brother's widow

The Rwandan government has pledged to investigate the case of a woman who allegedly killed her husband after he inherited the widow of his brother who was infected with the HIV virus.

The government was not aware of the case reported by local media, but would look into it, Gender and Family Protection Minister Oda Gasinzigwa told dpa on Thursday.

It is a tradition in some African cultures for men to inherit relatives' widows in order to ensure their livelihood and protection. The brother of Anaclet Majyambere, a resident in Gisagara in southern Rwanda, was believed to have died of AIDS.

Majyambere's wife Annonciata Kampororo feared that his widow could also be infected. Annonciata Kampororo would not have sex with her husband unless he took an HIV test, but he refused that request.

Kampororo then plotted to kill her husband with the help of her son and sister, kicking and beating him with a machete and pestles, according to the newspaper Umuryango.

Gasingzigwa criticized the practice of inheriting widows. "Women cannot be inherited, because they are not property," the government minister said.

Unprotected sex and multiple sex partners are important causes of AIDS in the Central African nation, where hundreds of thousands of people are living with HIV.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.