Cibitoke – Double Murder on the Burundi-Rwanda border : two youths killed in a coffee smuggling case

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, June 19, 2025

During the night of June 18-19, two young members of the Imbonerakure League (members of the youth league of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party) were found dead in Nyamakarabo village, Mugina district, in Cibitoke Province, on the border with Rwanda. According to initial evidence, they were lynched while attempting to smuggle a shipment of coffee into the Rwandan territory.

The lifeless bodies of Karenzo Nsanzamahoro and Claude Butoyi were discovered in the early morning of June 19, on the banks of the Ruhwa River. The two victims, known locally for their membership in the ruling party’s youth wing, allegedly attempted to smuggle approximately 80 kilograms of coffee into Rwanda, according to local security sources.

According to initial investigations, they were intercepted by unidentified individuals on the other side of the border, beaten to death with sticks, and then brought back to the Burundian soil. Their bodies showed clear signs of extreme violence.

This tragedy sent shockwaves through the border district of Mugina, particularly in Nyamakarabo village. “They certainly attempted an illegal crossing, but did they deserve such a horrific death?” asked a distraught resident.

Reacting to this incident, the district administrator, Julienne Ndayihaya, condemned a “barbaric act” and promised to open investigations. She also warned of the growing scale of smuggling in this region. “In two months, more than 800 kilos of coffee have been seized. It is time for the population to become aware of the risks associated with this illicit trafficking,” she declared.

Several local sources also suggest the possibility of complicity between the two victims and certain local officials or members of the security forces. These suspicions, if confirmed, would reveal the existence of a structured smuggling network with ramifications within the administration itself.

This tragic case occurs in a tense context. The Burundi-Rwanda border, officially closed for over a year, remains a gray area where clandestine trade continues at great personal risk. Coffee, a strategic commodity in the region, is the object of much covetousness, fueling a parallel economy that operates on the margins of the law.

This double murder highlights the vulnerability of border populations, the weakness of state control in certain rural areas, and the need to strengthen security, justice, and the fight against corruption.

All eyes are now on the judicial and security authorities. The population is waiting for full light to be shed on this double murder and for the networks involved to be identified and dismantled.