A teacher in Karongi District has been arrested following allegations that he sexually abused a 17-year-old student, resulting in pregnancy, officials say.
Mbarushimana Théoneste, 30, who teaches Primary 5 and 6 at GS Nyarubuye A in Twumba Sector, was taken into custody after the student reported the matter to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) at Twumba Station.
The complaint followed a series of community awareness sessions held during the Month of the Family, which encouraged students to report cases of abuse and protect their rights. A colleague of the teacher said the sessions emphasised the importance of speaking out against sexual violence and not accepting bribes or other inducements to stay silent.
According to sources close to the investigation, the girl is five to six months pregnant and had initially tried to conceal the pregnancy and the identity of the alleged perpetrator. Mbarushimana was arrested on 12 November 2025 while teaching at his school. He married a fellow teacher only five months ago.
Family members of the student say the teacher may have exploited the girl’s vulnerable home situation. They highlighted that the student comes from a household with frequent domestic disputes, making access to basic needs, including school fees, difficult.
Pascasie Umuhoza, Karongi District Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, described the news as “shocking and deeply saddening” for the local community.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau has confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
