Rwandan rapper Jay Polly, detained since April after being arrested during a prohibited party where narcotics were found, died in undetermined circumstances, we learned Thursday from the hospital where he was transferred overnight .
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Jay Polly, whose real name is Joshua Tuyishimiye, arrived at the hospital around 3 a.m. Thursday, Pascal Nkubito, director of Muhima hospital located in the capital Kigali, told AFP. “
He was in critical condition and unconscious. Doctors tried to resuscitate him, but unfortunately he passed away shortly after. At around 3.30 am, he was declared dead,
”he said. Before adding: “
I don't want to speculate on the cause of death. We will find out after the autopsy.
"
Joshua Tuyishimiye, 33, was arrested in April with several other people at his home, where a party was being held. These gatherings are strictly prohibited in Rwanda due to Covid-19. Those caught in violation are forced to spend the night in stadiums, where directives on the virus are broadcast over loudspeakers, or placed in detention. Police said Joshua Tuyishimiye and guests were found "
drinking and abusing drugs
". "
Among the violators were also three foreign nationals, who were found with false certificates of negative test for Covid-19
", said the spokesman of the police force, John Bosco Kabera.
The musician had attended a court hearing Wednesday, during which the date of his trial for drug use was set for December 2.
He had requested to be released from prison on the grounds that his 30-day pre-trial detention period had expired, but he had been refused bail.
Rwandans have paid tribute to this popular singer, especially on social networks where he has been hailed as a "
cultural icon who has contributed so much to
Rwandan
(music)
".
Another musician, Kizito Mihigo, died in detention in February 2020. This gospel singer, known to be a fierce critic of the Rwandan power who had banned his music, was found hanged in his cell. Police claimed he had committed suicide. The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) had launched calls for an independent investigation, rejected by the Rwandan authorities. Mihigo, who was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2015 for conspiring against the government before being released, was arrested for attempting to cross the southern border from Rwanda to Burundi.
