The music fraternity in Rwanda has been thrown into mourning after singer Kizito Mihigo was found dead in a police cell in the capital Kigali.
The singer who was found guilty of conspiracy to harm president Paul Kagame in 2015 after his arrest the previous year was found on Monday morning with a police statement indicating that the Tutsi singer had committed suicide.
Kizito who was pardoned by the government in 2018 was rearrested last week after the country’s police force accused him of attempting to cross over to neighboring Burundi to join a rebel movement fighting Kagame’s government.
“He has been in a police cell for three days as police investigated why he was crossing the border illegally and cases of bribery,” police spokesman Eric Kabera was quoted by the Associated Press.
In a country where human rights group have often accused the government of stifling on the opposition, the suicide statement has been received skeptically.
The popular singer who was once a darling to the government was often invited to perform during national events.
However, his popularity quickly faded away after his arrest and subsequent banning of his songs by the government.
As a genocide survivor, the late singer often sang about reconciliation.
Some of his popular songs include Twanze Gutobera Amateka(Never ever again will we allow) and Aho kuguhomba yaguhombya.
