SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, June 9, 2025 – Corpses are multiplying, suspicions are growing, and fear is spreading to the villages and neighborhoods of Gitega (central Burundi). Faced with a justice system deemed lacking, some residents are taking the law into their own hands—at the risk of sending the province spiraling out of control.

Two deaths in less than three days. In Karera 2 and Masango, mob justice and suspicious deaths are rekindling a climate of insecurity in the heart of the small east African nation. In a context of distrust of the state, human rights organizations are sounding the alarm.

A look back at these recent events, which are causing concern even at the highest levels of government.

Masango : a father found hanged under suspicious circumstances

The latest tragedy occurred on Sunday, June 8, in Masango village, in the district of Mutaho. The lifeless body of Jean Maniratunga, 36 years old, married and father of three, was discovered hanging from a rope in his house late in the day, around 5:40 p.m.

While the official theory suggests a possible suicide, many residents dispute this version. According to several witnesses, the body was moved from inside the house and placed in front of the residence, suggesting a staged attack.

« Everything seems to indicate that he could have been killed elsewhere, then brought back here to make it look like suicide, » confided a resident on condition of anonymity.

The Mutaho police were alerted and went to the scene to conduct initial investigations. Jean Maniratunga’s body was transferred to the Mutaho hospital morgue for further examination. No suspects have been arrested yet. The investigation is ongoing.

Karera 2 : fatal lynching after an alleged robbery

This tragedy comes just two days after the discovery of another body, this time in the Karera 2 neighborhood, in the heart of downtown Gitega. On Friday, June 6, an unidentified man was found dead after being violently lynched by residents who accused him of theft.

According to initial reports, the victim was tied up with a rope and then beaten to death with clubs. The man was suspected of being part of a group of alleged bandits who burglarized a house in the neighborhood.

The Gitega police, contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, confirmed the incident. The body was taken to the morgue at the Gitega regional hospital. An investigation has been opened, but the perpetrators of the lynching have not yet been identified.

This is not an isolated case. On May 22, the body of 32-year-old Aboubakar Nsengiyumva was found in a valley separating the Karera 1 and Karera 2 neighborhoods. He too had been accused of theft before being found dead.

A worrying normalization

These incidents are part of a climate of growing mistrust between citizens and judicial authorities. Acts of mob justice are increasing in certain areas, fueled by feelings of insecurity and impunity.

Human rights organizations denounce these extrajudicial practices. They call on the authorities to strengthen community security and expedite investigations so that those responsible are brought to justice.

« The use of mob justice is a worrying symptom of the failure of official security and justice mechanisms, » warns a human rights defender based in Gitega.

For their part, some residents justify these acts with deep despair. But for many observers, the answer lies in strengthening the rule of law and urgently restoring trust between citizens and institutions.

Without concrete responses, the cycle of violence and impunity risks becoming entrenched in Gitega’s neighborhoods.