Burundi : the weight of corruption and privileges in overcrowded prisons

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, October 24, 2025 — Beyond overcrowding, Burundian prisons are plagued by a system of corruption tolerated by the authorities.
Buy peace of mind or suffer the beatings : this is the reality for many Burundian prisoners. The Association for the Fight against Unemployment and Torture (ALUCHOTO) is sounding the alarm about institutionalized racketeering in the country’s prisons, where each newcomer is reportedly forced to pay up to 200,000 Burundi francs upon arrival.

During a media outing this week in Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial capital, Vianney Ndayisaba, legal representative of ALUCHOTO, denounced a practice as illegal as it is humiliating : new prisoners are allegedly ordered to pay between 50,000 and 200,000 BIF, officially to purchase candles, but in reality to “buy peace” from former inmates.

“This practice flagrantly violates basic human rights and takes place in full view of the prison authorities,” said Mr. Ndayisaba.

According to several concordant testimonies, former inmates are responsible for “collecting” these sums, not hesitating to beat up those who refuse. A portion of the money collected—about a third—is reportedly returned to certain prison officials, accused of turning a blind eye to this well-oiled system.

Complicity and silence from the authorities

Internal sources in the prison system, including a former inmate of Mpimba Central Prison in Bujumbura, affirm that these practices are not isolated but widespread in several facilities across the country. For ALUCHOTO, this is an organized racket, made possible by the passive complicity of prison authorities.

“As long as impunity persists, prisons will remain places of suffering, corruption, and injustice,” deplores Mr. Ndayisaba.

The association calls on the Ministry of Justice and the Directorate General of Prison Administration to conduct an independent investigation and severely punish the perpetrators and accomplices of these extortions.

“VIP rooms” for wealthy inmates

In addition to this racket at the entrance, another controversial practice persists at Mpimba Prison. According to a former inmate who requested anonymity, prisoners prosecuted for embezzlement of public funds can pay between 2 and 5 million BIF to be hosted in so-called “VIP” rooms, located near the infirmary.

These privileged conditions contrast with the overcrowding and misery endured by the majority of inmates, often crammed dozens into unsanitary cells.

A call for urgent reforms

Faced with these revelations, ALUCHOTO is calling for an overhaul of the prison system and stronger oversight of detention centers.
For the association, only a strong political will can put an end to a system of inequality and corruption that transforms Burundian prisons into lawless zones.

In Burundi, prisons have a limited capacity of 4,294 places, while the prison population often exceeds 12,000 inmates. Some facilities are operating at more than 300% capacity, worsening detention conditions and internal tensions.