Rwanda former spy chief found strangled: Opposition

Iran Press TV

Thu Jan 2, 2014 12:35PM GMT

Former Rwandan spy chief Patrick Karegeya has been found strangled to death in South Africa, the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) opposition party says.

The RNC said on Thursday that Karegeya was assassinated in Johannesburg in a hotel he had gone to for a meeting.

Karegeya, 53, was found in the Michelangelo Towers, a hotel building in the Johannesburg suburb of Sandton. However, it was not made clear whether the incident took place on December 31 or January 1.

Police officials say an investigation into the incident has been launched.

Karegeya had served as Rwanda's head of external intelligence for nearly 10 years. After serving for nearly a decade, he was demoted to army spokesman and then eventually imprisoned for 18 months for insubordination and desertion.

In 2006, Karegeya was stripped of his rank of colonel. He went into exile the following year.

SZH/AB