Burundi-Rwanda : Rwanda postponed the extradition of a suspected Burundian criminal

The accused who should be extradited by Rwanda is Jolis Bukeyeneza, prosecuted for “fraud and theft” of more than 25 million Burundi francs. His suicide attempt at the border post of the two countries is the main cause of the postponement of the extradition. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

On Friday morning, the criminal police and investigation services of the two countries met at the Gasenyi-Nemba border post (Bugesera-Rwanda, Kirundo-Burundi). The aim was the extradition of a Burundian, according to the Rwanda Bureau of Investigation, RIB.

“Jolis Bukeyeneza, 30 years old, fled to Rwanda after allegedly stealing more than 25 million Burundi francs from Bancobu, the Commercial Bank of Burundi where he was employed at the Bururi branch (south of the country) in June this year“, specified Thierry Murangira, RIB spokesperson.

“He was wanted by Burundi as part of the Interpol police collaboration”, he added before indicating that the said extradition did not ultimately take place.

Attempted suicide…
Jolis Bukeyeneza arrived at the border, handcuffed, escorted by Rwandan police services when the vehicle in which he was traveling slowly towards the neutral zone of the two countries, awaited by an arsenal of Burundian police, the situation took a different turn.

“When he saw that we are ready to extradite him and put him in the hands of the Burundian police, also knowing the crimes he admitted to have committed including fraud, theft of money with a lot of unpaid debts, he attempted suicide using the handcuffs that bound him. He was seriously injured and rendered himself unconscious”, explained Thierry Murangira.

The police then transported him to a hospital in Nyamata, not far from the border, for intensive care.

“The urgency was to provide him with care. After the consultation, we saw that he is not in critical condition. We want to assure you that the plan has not changed, when he is cured, he will be extradited and handed over to the Burundian authorities to face justice”, he concluded.

Burundian police visited him in hospital

“We saw him on the hospital bed and we recognized that it is he himself who is wanted by the Burundian justice system for a case of theft in a bank”, Police Colonel Frédéric Audiney Minani, deputy police commissioner of Interpol in Bujumbura, the commercial capital of Burundi, told the local press.

Gitega welcomes this collaboration between the Burundian and Rwandan police

“Relations are extremely good in any case, especially in criminal matters. Each side cannot cross their arms and turn a blind eye to a criminal who has committed a crime on the other side of the border. We also regularly share information for a common fight against transnational crimes,” rejoiced the deputy police commissioner of Interpol in Bujumbura.

He reiterated continued collaboration and assured that even on the Burundian side, “no Rwandan criminal will be welcome there, he will be hunted down wherever he is”.

Facts…

Last June, SOS Médias Burundi published an article on this theft perpetrated in Bururi.

The head of the branch of the Commercial Bank of Burundi (Bancobu) in Bururi (southern Burundi) reported a theft of 27 million Burundi francs at a paying counter located in the provincial town center.

According to the first statements made by the branch manager to the police, an employee named Jolis Bukeyeneza was suspected and had fled before the police announced his hunt.

Rwandan police stressed that Jolis Bukeyeneza was arrested in Kigali on October 7.

It discourages and warns anyone who may attempt to commit crimes in other countries and want to hide in Rwanda, that they will not be tolerated.