Rwandan serial killer gets life in prison

A Rwandan serial killer was handed a life sentence on Friday for murder and other charges after multiple bodies were found buried in a hole in his kitchen.

Denis Kazungu was arrested in September last year after police made the gruesome discovery in his rented home in a Kigali suburb where he lived alone.

The 34-year-old confessed to killing 14 people, including a man, claiming they had infected him with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

"He is sentenced to life in prison," a high court judge said during a ruling that lasted only a few minutes. 

Kazungu -- who had earlier asked for forgiveness and a lighter sentence -- was not present in the courthouse. 

He had pleaded guilty to 10 charges including murder, rape, forgery, impersonation and desecration of human corpses.

It was not immediately clear if he would appeal the sentence, which must be done within 30 days of the ruling according to Rwandan laws. 

Prosecutors said he stole the identity of the only male victim and used his name when hunting his prey.

He dissolved two of his victims whose remains have not yet been found.

Kazungu had initially been arrested in July last year on suspicion of robbery and rape among other offences but was granted bail due to a lack of evidence, police said.

A police source told AFP he had confessed that he learned to kill his victims, most of them sex workers, from watching films about notorious serial killers.

Media reports in Rwanda said Kazungu had held various jobs, including as an English teacher.