After her mother’s murder, she raises her two little sisters alone

“That day, I felt that something not normal was happening. I arrived and saw a black truck marked “death”. I was hoping it was him but I was told it was mom. » With a trembling voice, Jenifer Thakizimana recounts in front of the StreetPress camera the day she learned of the death of her mother. On the night of April 11 to 12, 2022, Marie Thakizimana was beaten and killed by her husband in the presence of her two youngest daughters aged 8 and 9.

In this poignant testimony, Jenifer looks back on her family history, from the arrival of her stepfather in her life to the violence he subjected her mother to. “We found mom with assholes, she was swollen all over, she told us that she had hit a door or that she had fallen,” testifies the young woman. “Every time they got into a fight, he shouted “Marie, I’m going to kill you”. » In 2019, the man had already been sentenced for beating and disfiguring Marie Thakizimana.

“It was either because she didn’t want to give him money, or because mom hadn’t cleaned the toilets (…) Often stupid things, not serious. »

Jenifer Thakizimana also talks about the fight she waged to obtain custody of her two little sisters, who are also the daughters of her father-in-law. “I try to do my best, but I’m not a mother… I’m learning,” explains the young woman. The three sisters are still awaiting the date of the judgment, which could take place in 2025. In the meantime, the man has been placed in pre-trial detention. Today, Jenifer is very active on social networks to address the subject of domestic violence.