Police in Rwanda are investigating the circumstances under which President Paul Kagame’s former personal doctor was shot dead by a policeman on Wednesday evening.

Emmanuel Gasakure, aged 61, who was until recently President Kagame’s personal physician, was reported to have been shot by a policeman on duty at Remera Police Station in an act of self-defence after the medic allegedly tried to disarm him.

“Last evening at 1835 hrs, an unfortunate incident happened at the Remera Police Station when a suspect in detention was fatally wounded during a scuffle with a police officer on guard duty,” police spokesperson Chief Supt Celestin Twahirwa said in a statement.

“One Dr Gasakure, who has been in police custody as part of investigations into offences, including illegal entry on other person’s property, causing damage to property, illegal confinement, uttering verbal threats under the influence of alcohol or other stupefiants.”

According to the police, the doctor asked to go for a short call and was allowed. But on coming out of the cell, he assaulted the officer on guard and tried to disarm him.

“In the ensuing scuffle, the deceased was fatally wounded while the police officer sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital.  Investigations into the incident have since been launched,” the spokesperson added. “The police regret this incident and will keep the family informed as the investigation proceeds.”

A relative of the doctor, who requested not to be named, told The EastAfrican that he hoped a thorough investigation into the shooting would be conducted.

READ: Rwanda probing shooting of former president’s doctor by policeman

Rough patch

According to people who knew Dr Gasakure,  a long serving personal doctor of President Kagame and his family until as recently as January, he was going through a rough patch after the Rwandan leader relieved him of his duties over alcoholism and misconduct.

“He was getting involved in many drunken episodes which stained his image as well as that of President Kagame,” a source close to the presidency told The EastAfrican. President Kagame is reputed not to get along with drunks.

Reports show that Dr Gasakure was arrested on Monday, February 23, after an altercation with the owner of a neighbouring facility in the plush residential area of Kimihurura, whom he accused of making noise.

A senior cardiologist, who served in different institutions before joining the presidential staff, Dr Gasakure appeared in the news in December 2011 after he allegedly lost official documents and a work iPad in Uganda where President Kagame and his family had taken a Christmas break.

However, it is reported that recently, during an official trip to the US, Dr Gasakure’s conduct again came into question, prompting President Kagame to suspend him, replacing him with a youthful medic.