Umugabo wo muri Leta ya California, Maurice Hastings, w’imyaka 72, yahawe indishyi za miliyoni 25 z’amadolari ya Amerika nyuma yo kumara imyaka 38 yose afunze azira icyaha atakoze. Abanyamategeko be bavuze ko ari indishyi nini kurusha izindi zose zatanzwe mu mateka ya Leta ya California ku muntu wagizweho ingaruka n’inkiko mu bidakwiye.

Hastings yari yarakatiwe gufungwa burundu mu 1983, ashinjwa gufata ku ngufu no kwica Roberta Wydermyer, ndetse no kugerageza kwica umugabo we n’inshuti ye mu mujyi wa Inglewood. Urukiko rwamukatiye igifungo cya burundu adashobora kuzacungurwa.

Nyamara mu 2022, ibizamini bishya bya DNA byagaragaje ko Hastings ntaho ahuriye n’icyo cyaha, byongera kugaragaza undi muntu wagikoze. Ibi byatumye arekurwa ubwo yari afite imyaka 69, nyuma y’imyaka 38 yose ari mu buroko. Mu 2023, urukiko rwa California rwemeje ko ari “umwere ku buryo budashidikanywaho” (factually innocent), bisobanuye ko ibimenyetso byose bigaragaza ko atigeze akora icyaha.

Mu isuzuma ryakorewe ku murambo wa Wydermyer mu 1983, habonetse ibimenyetso by’imisemburo byafashwe mu gikorwa cy’isuzuma ry’ifata ku ngufu. Hastings yasabye ko hakoreshwa ikizamini cya DNA ku byabonetse mu 2000, ariko Ibiro bya Parike ya Los Angeles birabyanga. Hashize imyaka 21, mu 2021, yagejeje ubusabe bwe ku ishami rishinzwe gusubiramo imanza.

Ibyavuye muri icyo kizamini byahuje iyo DNA n’iya Kenneth Packnett, wari warakatiwe mu bindi byaha byo gushimuta no gufata ku ngufu mu buryo bukomeye mu 1983, bifite ishusho isa neza n’ibyabaye kuri Wydermyer. Polisi yafashe Packnett nyuma y’urwo rupfu, ndetse bamusangana ibikoresho by’umugore wishwe, ariko icyo gihe ntibigeze bamukoraho iperereza ryimbitse. Packnett yaje gupfira muri gereza mu 2020, aho yari arimo kurangiza indi dosiye.

Mu kwezi kwa Kanama 2025 nibwo umujyi wa Inglewood wemeye kwishyura Hastings indishyi za miliyoni 25 z’amadolari, nk’uko bigaragazwa n’impapuro z’urukiko zashyizwe ahagaragara ku wa Mbere. Abunganizi ba Hastings bavuze ko iyi ari intsinzi ikomeye ku rugamba rurerure rw’ubutabera yamaze imyaka yose aharanira.

Hastings yagize ati: “Nta mafaranga na make ashobora kugarura imyaka 38 y’ubuzima bwanjye yapfuye ubusa. Ariko izi ndishyi ni iherezo ry’urugendo rurerure kandi ruruhije nanyuzemo, kandi niteguye gukomeza ubuzima bwanjye bushya.”

Abashinjacyaha n’abahagarariye umujyi wa Inglewood ntacyo batangaje ku birego by’uko hari abapolisi babiri n’umukozi wa parike byari byavuzwe ko bagize uruhare mu kumushinja icyaha atakoze.

Mu 2023, umucamanza wo muri California yemeje ko Hastings ari “umwere nta gushidikanya”, bigaragaza ko ibimenyetso byose byerekanye ko ntaho yari ahuriye n’urupfu rwa Wydermyer.

Ubu Hastings atuye mu Burengerazuba bwa California, aho akora ibikorwa by’itorero rye nk’uko byatangajwe n’abunganizi be. Umwunganizi we Nick Brustin yagize ati: “Polisi n’inzego z’ubutabera muri California ndetse no mu bindi bihugu bikwiye kwigira kuri uru rubanza. Kwirengagiza amakosa akomeye mu butabera bifite igiciro gikomeye.”

Hastings wamaze imyaka 38 afungiye icyaha atakoze yahawe indishyi za miliyoni 25 z’Amadolari