Bubanza: three Imbonerakure refuse to appear before a police officer

Three pupils from the technical school of Bubanza (ETB), members of the youth league “Imbonerakure (members of the CNDD-FDD youth league)” refused to appear when summoned by the OPJ from the district police station in Bubanza (Western Burundi). It’s in a pupil beating case. The victim’s parents filed a complaint against these Imbonerakure who abused their son until he was admitted to hospital. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Yves Misigaro, from the second year of electro-mechanical department, Salomon Sonerimana from the second year of maintenance computer and Innocent Mpawenayo, from the third maintenance computer were to answer this Thursday at the police station for hitting Fabrice Iteriteka, from the first year of industrial electricity.

The incident happened on Monday night while the young Iteriteka was in the dormitory, being sick. A pupil’s bag was allegedly stolen.

Involved Imbonerakure pupils have different roles within the school : one is in charge of the dormitories, the other of the school security, the third being responsible for the maintenance of the school.

“They beat me for more than five hours. They threw water on the parts where they had beaten me, on my back and on my buttocks. I can’t sit down”, a story that the victim gave to his comrades.

To prevent him from screaming, they bandaged his mouth with a cloth, testifies his father who, this Wednesday came to see his son.

“I will file a complaint so that these pupils are punished and repair the damage”, said the victim’s father.

The victim complains of pain. He has traces of violence on his buttocks and on his back.

“They used to hit other pupils without being punished by school officials. They look like untouchable people”, lament some teachers at this boarding school.

“These pupils even have military effects in dormitories, t-shirts and boots they brandish when they mistreat other pupils”, testify teachers at this school.

“You don’t know who we are”, they said when they attacked the victim.

“In other school environments, these pupils would already be expelled”, laments a teacher.

School officials are aware of this situation. They want to hush it up, our sources say.

But parents of the victim decided to pursue this case so that these pupils are punished in accordance with the law, the application of school regulations in force in Burundi, not having been applied exceptionally for these three pupils. Imbonerakure who reign terror at ETB, according to disgusted teachers.

This Thursday, the three members of the CNDD-FDD youth league refused to appear before an OPJ who had summoned them for questioning, police sources noted.

In several localities of the small East African nation, young people affiliated with the ruling CNDD-FDD party continue to replace the police and the justice system despite sanctions against the culprits since the arrival of President Neva in power.

Some analysts believe that they continue to benefit from impunity like the time of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza, which earned them the designation of a “militia” by the United Nations.