The Kayanza provincial court sentenced a 25-year-old man to a heavy sentence for the rape of a 12-year-old girl. Despite the verdict, the accused continues to deny the crime and plans to appeal. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The judgment was delivered in the context of a flagrante delicto trial. A truck driver and father of two, Jean Bosco Nkunzimana denied the accusations against him.

For her part, the victim told the court that the man had promised her money before they spent the night together in a hotel in the region the previous Saturday.

Despite these statements, the accused continues to proclaim his innocence and intends to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

An alarming situation

Rape cases remain a major concern for civil society organizations. A survey conducted in June 2024 by the Burundian Association for Family Well-being (ABUBEF) revealed that 138 young girls were victims of rape in the Kayanza province alone located in northern Burundi. The trial took place on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.