A Providence man has been sentenced to 45 years in state prison for the murder of his estranged wife, Maniriho Nkinamubanzi, in 2017. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced the sentencing, which took place on September 24, 2024, at Providence County Superior Court.
Bosco Tukamuhabwa, age 53, received a total sentence of 60 years from Superior Court Justice Joseph A. Montalbano. This includes 45 years to serve at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) and the remainder suspended with probation. Tukamuhabwa was found guilty on June 4, 2024, after an 11-day trial of one count of domestic second-degree murder and one count of domestic criminal violation of a No Contact Order.
“Domestic abusers perpetuate a cycle of control and violence, which can unfortunately escalate into irreparable tragedy,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Ms. Nkinamubanzi deserved to live a full life, free of the persistent threat of violence, and the defendant stole that from her. I hope this sentence brings Ms. Nkinamubanzi’s children some measure of peace and closure. And as always, I want to thank my attorneys and the Providence Police Department for their hard work on this case and so many others.”
During the trial, evidence showed that Tukamuhabwa bludgeoned and stabbed his estranged wife to death in her home. The victim's children reported her missing on November 9, 2017. They discovered her body in a bedroom closet while searching their apartment for clues about her whereabouts the following day.
Police responded immediately to the scene where they identified signs of blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds on Nkinamubanzi's body along with blood spatter outside the closet.
Forensic analysis placed Tukamuhabwa near the victim's home at the time of her murder through cell phone data. Additionally, DNA tests conducted by the Department of Health matched both Tukamuhabwa and Nkinamubanzi from several bloodstained items collected from both crime scenes.
Tukamuhabwa's contact with Nkinamubanzi violated a No Contact Order issued in April 2017 following an incident involving physical violence.
“The Providence Police Department works tirelessly to bring to justice those who commit senseless acts of violence such as this one,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez Jr., expressing gratitude towards his detectives and the Attorney General’s Office for their efforts throughout the investigation and prosecution process.
The case was led by Assistant Attorneys General Timothy Healy and Meghan McDonough from the Office of the Attorney General alongside Detectives Angelo A’Vant and Jimmy Clift from the Providence Police Department.
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