Cibitoke : a police officer shot a resident at point-blank range, seriously injuring him

Gédéon Nzitonda, a public transport bus driver, was seriously injured on Friday around 9 p.m. when a police officer intentionally shot him. The incident occurred in the town center of the district of Buganda. It is in the province of Cibitoke (northwest Burundi). The officer was beaten up by residents who were going to take justice into their own hands had his colleagues not intervened. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

According to witnesses, Moîse Nkurunziza, the PNB (Burundi National Police) officer who started the incident, was drunk. At the time of the incident, Gédéon Nzitonda wanted to guide the police officer to the district police station where he is assigned. The police officer opened fire immediately. Nzitonda was hit by two bullets in the neck.

According to our sources, residents near the place where the blunder took place intervened in large numbers. They disarmed the officer and seriously beat him up.

Gédéon Nzitonda was evacuated to a local health facility. His days are not numbered, according to medical sources. Officer Nkurunziza was saved by his colleagues.

The provincial police commissioner in Cibitoke, police colonel Jacques Nijimbere, confirmed the incident. He claims that officer Moîse Nkurunziza was arrested.