Matana : two men arrested after a grenade found in Muheka village

SOS Médias Burundi

Matana, February 4, 2026 – Frédéric Ndayikengurukiye and Patrick Harerimana were arrested on Monday, February 2, 2026, in Muheka village, in the Muheka zone of ​​Matana district, Burunga province, in southern Burundi, after an unexploded grenade was discovered on a property involved in a land dispute, according to police sources.

The two men were apprehended that same afternoon and then taken to the Songa police station. The explosive device was discovered on a disputed plot of land between the two suspects.

According to testimonies gathered from residents of Muheka village, Frédéric Ndayikengurukiye and Patrick Harerimana had recently disagreed about the boundary markers of their properties, which had been established by court order. The same sources indicate that tensions between the two parties have been particularly high since the land demarcation.

The police specify that this is the second grenade found on the same property since the beginning of the year, a detail that reinforces suspicions of an intentional act aimed at intimidation or causing harm in this land dispute.

According to local sources, the grenade discovered on Monday, February 2, was defused by law enforcement on Tuesday afternoon, February 3, thus preventing a tragedy in this densely populated area.

Police authorities indicate that investigations are continuing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the presence of these explosive devices and to establish responsibility. Pending the outcome of the legal proceedings, the two suspects remain in custody.