Burundi : 18 tons of coffee seized in Mpanda, a trader detained for two weeks

SOS Médias Burundi

Mpanda, June 5, 2026 – A trader from the Ruce zone of ​​Mpanda district, Bujumbura province, in western Burundi, has been detained since May 21, 2026, in connection with an alleged fraud case involving coffee pulp purchased outside of regulated channels. Eighteen tons of coffee were seized by the Musigati police, in collaboration with the regional police.

According to local sources, the seized stock is still being stored at the same location, in Rutake village, in the Ruce zone. This situation is causing concern among the population regarding the potential spoilage of this product, considered strategic for the national economy.

Among those implicated, Gabriel Nikobamye has been held in the Muzinda district jail since his arrest. His associate, Claude Nsengiyumva, is on the run. Both men are known locally as members of the youth wing of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, the Imbonerakure.

The director of the Burundi Coffee Development Office (ODECA), who confirmed he was aware of the case, reiterated that all coffee sales must go through approved pulping plants. According to him, any sale outside this channel constitutes fraud punishable by law.

“Any sale of coffee outside of the factories is considered fraud that must be discouraged,” insisted an ODECA official.

However, the head of the Ruce area, Désiré Niyonkuru, stated that he was aware of this activity, which he considered normal. According to him, the trader was collecting what he called “waste” coffee to resell through what he believed to be a legal channel.

“It was waste that he was collecting and reselling legally. I was aware of it,” he admitted.

According to a local trader, this product was being sold outside the official channels, with some of it allegedly destined for Rwanda.

More than two weeks after the arrest, the case remains stalled at the Muzinda judicial police station. The trader remains in custody without the case file having been forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. This situation is fueling questions among the local population.

Some residents and observers believe that these delays could indicate administrative malfunctions in the handling of the case, while others suggest issues related to controlling the coffee distribution network in the region.

No further judicial comment was available at the time of publication.