Tangara : a magistrate and two police officers imprisoned after the fatal beating of a waiter

SOS Médias Burundi

Butanyerera, July 20, 2025 – A young waiter died two days after being violently beaten by two police officers and a magistrate. The tragedy occurred on July 16 in the district of Tangara, in Butanyerera province, northern Burundi. The three government officials were arrested and detained in Ngozi. Voices are being raised to denounce a serious abuse of power.

According to several witnesses, the incident occurred in a local restaurant where Donatien Nduwimana worked as a waiter. The president of the Tangara local court, dissatisfied with the service received and offended by the condition of a plate, allegedly violently attacked the young man. He then allegedly called two police officers for backup, who, instead of calming the situation, joined in beating the employee.

Rushed to Ngozi Hospital, Donatien Nduwimana died on July 18 from his injuries.

The prosecutor’s office ordered the immediate arrest of the three suspects. They are held in Ngozi Prison and are currently under judicial investigation.

The local population, the victim’s relatives, and several civil society organizations are calling for exemplary prosecutions, without preferential treatment. “This crime must not be covered up. It is a clear abuse of power, contrary to the principles of the rule of law,” said a local human rights defender.

The civil society is also calling for an administrative investigation to determine individual and institutional responsibilities and advocating for the establishment of mechanisms to prevent abuses within the security forces and the judiciary.

For many observers, this case is a crucial test of the independence of the judiciary in Burundi.