Cibitoke : several bodies discovered in the district, growing concern

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, November 14, 2025 — The district of Cibitoke, in Bujumbura province in western Burundi, has been shaken by a series of gruesome discoveries since the beginning of the year. On Thursday, November 13, two more bodies were found in isolated locations, including an old abandoned gold mining pit on Gisaba hill, in the Buhindo zone. The circumstances of these deaths remain unknown.

A series of disturbing discoveries

A few weeks earlier, two other bodies had been discovered on the banks of the Nyamagana River, not far from the same gold mining site. According to residents, these repeated discoveries are fueling an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among the local population.

Macabre discoveries by chance

On Thursday morning, around 11:00 AM, residents of Gisaba village were alerted by a strong, foul odor emanating from a former mining site. Upon inspecting the area, they discovered two bodies, already in an advanced state of decomposition, making identification impossible.

Administration authorities and law enforcement immediately secured the area, covered the bodies with tarpaulins, and disinfected the site before ordering burials on-site.

Concerns and speculation

The victims’ identities remain unknown, fueling speculation among the population. Some residents fear that these were not accidents but murders, as the bodies may have been transported from other locations before being dumped at the mining sites.

The head of the Buhindo zone confirmed that the police have opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of these deaths and identify the victims.

A call for a thorough investigation

Since the beginning of the year, around ten bodies have been discovered in the district of Cibitoke, according to a count by SOS Médias Burundi. Residents are now calling for rigorous investigations to shed light on these cases and put an end to the growing fear in the region.