Bururi : Colonel Moïse Arakaza alias Nyeganyega released

SOS Médias Burundi

Bururi, April 19, 2026–Police Colonel Moise Arakaza, alias Nyeganyega, was released on Wednesday afternoon, April 15, 2026, after several months of detention at Bururi Central Prison, Burunga Province, southern Burundi.

The release follows a decision by the Bururi Court of Appeal, which fined him one million Burundi francs for damage to the national economy. According to a judicial source contacted on the spot, the prosecution did not interject the appeal, the judgment became final, thus paving the way for his release.

As a reminder, Moise Arakaza was arrested last August in Rumonge, in the same province, in a fuel-related fraud case. According to the investigation, he was driving a vehicle specially designed for the illegal transportation of fuel from neighboring Tanzania. The small East African nation has been facing a fuel crisis that has lasted for more than five years, fostering the development of illicit trafficking.

During his interception in Kigwena, he allegedly threatened traffic police officers who tried to seize the vehicle.

Since his arrest, he has been detained at Bururi Central Prison pending the outcome of the court proceedings.

Beyond this case, Colonel Arakaza is cited in several allegations of human rights violations in various districts in the former Bururi province, notably Mugamba and Matana, as well as in other localities where he held office.

His release revives debate over his professional future, in a context where no public disciplinary action has been announced, despite the seriousness of the allegations against him. For some observers, this silence of judicial and administrative authorities once again illustrates the shadowy areas surrounding the handling of certain cases involving high-ranking law enforcement officials.