Kirundo : a sexagenerian who traded minerals to Rwanda missing

Augustin Mirerego has been missing for more than two months. This 68-year-old trader from the province of Kirundo (northern Burundi) was reportedly killed by the leader of Imbonerakure (members of the CNDD-FDD youth league) in the new province of Butanyerera. His relatives who searched for him in all the official dungeons, in vain, are asking the Burundian justice system to take up the case.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

It all started last September when the governor of Kirundo, the provincial police commissioner, the provincial chief of the SNR (National Intelligence Service), accompanied by a dozen agents of the PNB (Burundi National Police) arrived at the home of the sexagenerian. It was in the Runanira neighborhood in the town center of Kirundo.

“They came to seize quantities of cassiterite and coltan that he sold in neighboring Rwanda,” says a neighbor of the missing man.

Another neighbor says, “There was a person who communicated with the governor and the intelligence representative on the phone. She told them to search Mirerego’s vehicle, to unscrew the bolts… They ended up finding the minerals they were looking for.”

Mirerego’s escape

Augustin Mirerego took advantage of the police officers’ mistake, who were distracted by the crowd, pretended to answer a phone call to escape, according to a witness.

“Everyone was surprised. It’s as if no one had suspected his plan to disappear into thin air,” he adds.

Hiding and disappearance

The sexagenerian went into hiding in a hotel located not far from his home, in the Nyange-Bushaza neighborhood. The facility belongs to Abel Ahishakiye, the representative of the youth league of the ruling party, the Imbonerakure, in the new province of Butanyerera.

The fact of having headed towards this hotel is not a coincidence, according to our sources. They specify that this representative of the Imbonerakure collaborated with Augustin Mirerego.

“Abel was in charge of the exploitation and the purchase of the minerals. He entrusted them to Mirerego who transported them to Rwanda”, say our sources. The precious stones that the two men sold in neighboring Rwanda, were exploited in the districts of Busoni, Gitobe and Bwambarangwe, in the province of Kirundo.

An administration official who testified on condition of anonymity confirmed to SOS Médias Burundi the disappearance of Mirerego.

“Mirerego was allegedly killed by Abel Ahishakiye to distort the results of the investigations”, he believes.

Relatives of the missing sexagenerian are asking the Burundian justice system to take up this case.

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The provincial building of Kirundo (SOS Médias Burundi)