In a highly publicized case that sent shockwaves through the country, a Rwandan man has entered a guilty plea to multiple charges, including the murder of 12 women and two men. Denis Kazungu, aged 34, is accused of burying his victims within the confines of his kitchen.

The discovery of these crimes was made earlier this month when Kazungu was forcibly removed from his rented residence in Kicukiro, a suburb of the capital city, Kigali.

Inside a crowded courtroom, a woman emotionally cried out, asserting that her child was among the victims, after hearing the guilty plea. This hearing was convened to decide whether Mr. Kazungu should remain in custody, with the judge set to deliver a decision on September 26th.

Notably, Mr. Kazungu, who did not have legal representation, remained composed during the proceedings. When asked to enter his plea, he firmly stated that he was "guilty." He attempted to rationalize his actions by claiming that his victims had "intentionally infected him with AIDS," although he did not provide any evidence to support this assertion.

The state of Mr. Kazungu's mental health remains unclear, but he appeared lucid when he requested that the court conduct proceedings behind closed doors, a request that was ultimately denied.

Mr. Kazungu's arrest transpired after his landlord reported him to the police for defaulting on rent payments for seven consecutive months. According to a police official quoted in Rwanda's private newspaper, The New Times, Mr. Kazungu resisted arrest when the eviction took place.

"He apologized and cried excessively, which raised our suspicions," the official said.

"We detained him and I personally took him to the police. It is at the police station where he confessed to having killed some people, prompting Rib [Rwanda Investigation Bureau] to investigate his residence."

A Rib spokesperson said he lured his victims, mostly s*x workers, to his home and would then rob them. He then "strangled them to death and buried them in a hole dug in the kitchen of his rented house".

Investigators are yet to reveal the names of all of Mr. Kazungu's suspected victims.