A woman was killed and her husband seriously wounded in their field very early in the morning of Monday on transverse road 11 of Rusiga hill in Rugombo commune, Cibitoke province (north-western Burundi). Residents are worried following this crime as they ask for clarity in this matter. They also demand that criminals be tracked down, be arrested and brought to justice. The provincial governor, who confirms this information, indicates that investigations are underway.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The horror occurred very early in the morning of this Monday on the transverse road 11, Rusiga hill where a forty-year-old who was watching over her cassava field was cowardly killed by the unknown while her husband was seriously injured with machetes.

The victim’s remains were discovered around 9 a.m. by other farmers who were going to their fields.

“Her husband was also seriously injured at the same time, after defending himself against the criminals,” indicates a police source.

“This couple, for fear of seeing their agricultural products taken away, decided to spend the whole night in their field,” adds the same source.

This situation, according to a notable contacted locally, occurs at a time when more than 150 hectares were stripped from the hands of farmers by senior civil and military dignitaries close to the CNDD-FDD party, under the pretext that it is land falling within the domain of the State.

An octogenarian indicates that « these lands, which have been exploited for a long time by farmers, are being taken out of the hands of residents to be immediately redistributed to the most influential members and supporters of the ruling party. »

However, the governor of Cibitoke brushes aside all these accusations and explains that the State is in the process of recovering its land assets which, according to him, had been allocated to COGERCO (Cotton Management Company).

Carême Bizoza also denies that land is being taken from the hands of residents to be redistributed to those close to the presidential party.

Carême Bizoza confirms “this incident which left one dead and one injured and indicates that investigations are already underway to identify the motives and the perpetrators of this despicable act”.

According to him, the culprits will be punished in accordance with the law when they are apprehended.

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Residents of Mbaza-Miduha in Rugombo in a meeting with Governor Carême Bizoza to discuss about their evacuation, October 17, 2023