Rumonge : intelligence seized a large quantity of fuel

This is a quantity of at least 2500 liters of fuel. The seizure took place in the Swahili neighborhood in the town center of the province of Rumonge (southwest Burundi). It is agents of the National Intelligence Service (SNR) from its headquarters in the commercial city of Bujumbura who carried out the operation. On the administration and police side in Rumonge, it is radio silence. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The fuel belongs to a certain Bayote. He is a trader close to the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party who owns fishing boats and vehicles that provide paid transport in particular. According to witnesses, 904 liters of gasoline and 440 liters of fuel oil were seized in his stocks located not far from Lake Tanganyika. At his brother’s house, SNR agents recovered 1,140 liters of gasoline and 40 liters of fuel oil. According to our sources, more than 600 empty cans were discovered at the two individuals’ homes. The two brothers are suspected of illegally trading fuel. The search took place on Sunday.

Sources close to the case say that the agents who carried out this action had participated in a wedding of Bayote’s brother the day before. Bayote and his brother were able to escape. Two of their employees were arrested.

The seized fuel was taken to the provincial police station. But the local police did not want to comment on this.

Residents of Rumonge speak of a well-known circuit in one of the richest provinces of Burundi.

“The fuel belongs to a network of fraudsters,” they say.

According to local sources, there are 15 well-known vehicles that brought the fuel back to neighboring Tanzania. Bayote owns at least ten of them.

“Each vehicle pays 100 thousand Burundi francs to the provincial and regional commissioner for each delivery. This is no secret,” accuse Rumonge officials who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi.

A very large sum of money was reportedly found at Bayote’s home.

“It is clear that administration and police authorities are involved in this trade,” says a local activist who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Representatives of the PNB (Burundi National Police) cited in this case have not yet commented on these allegations.