Rwanda’s National Investigation Bureau (RIB) has arrested Ndorimana Etienne, the owner of Inshuti Nyabikoni primary health clinic in Nyarugenge District, following the death of a 26-year-old woman who reportedly died after receiving an anaesthetic injection at the facility.
RIB says Ndorimana is being investigated in connection with the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.
RIB spokesperson Dr. Murangira B. Thierry confirmed that the suspect had been arrested and was being held at the agency’s Karama station.
“The suspect, Ndorimana Etienne, who is also the owner of Inshuti Nyabikoni health post, has been arrested and is detained at the RIB station in Karama,” Murangira said.
According to information provided in connection with the case, the woman visited the health post at the beginning of the week for a service related to changing her contraceptive method.
She was reportedly attended to by Ndorimana, who administered an anaesthetic injection. She subsequently died, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the medical procedure.
Information available in the case indicates that she had not reportedly gone to the clinic because of another known health problem.
The circumstances have raised questions about the medication administered, the procedure followed and the immediate response after the woman’s condition deteriorated.
Following the death, the woman’s body was transferred to Rwanda’s forensic investigations institution, the Rwanda Forensic Laboratory (RFI), for examination.
Dr. Murangira said the examination had been conducted, but the findings had not yet been released publicly.
The forensic results could be significant in establishing the medical cause of death and determining whether there was a connection between the anaesthetic injection and the fatal outcome.
Ndorimana’s arrest does not in itself establish criminal responsibility. He remains a suspect while investigators work to establish what happened before, during and after the procedure.
Investigators are expected to examine issues including the medication administered, its dosage, the manner in which it was given, the qualifications and procedures involved, and any other factors that may have contributed to the woman’s death.
The forensic findings are expected to form part of the evidence considered during the investigation.
The 26-year-old woman was buried on August 11, 2026, while the investigation into her death was still underway.
The decision to subject the body to forensic examination before burial underscores the importance of establishing the circumstances and medical cause of death.
The incident has brought renewed attention to patient safety and the standards governing medical procedures, particularly those involving anaesthesia and injections.
However, until the forensic findings and other investigative evidence are made public, it would be premature to conclude that the injection alone caused the woman’s death.
Ndorimana remains a suspect, and the investigation by RIB is ongoing. Any final determination of responsibility will depend on the evidence gathered and the subsequent legal process.
