A farmer found dead near Rusizi River, the possibility of suffocation raised

SOS Médias Burundi,

Cibitoke, June 3, 2025 – The lifeless body of Joseph Kariyo, a 38-year-old farmer missing for over a week, was found on Sunday, June 1, in an advanced state of decomposition in Mparambo I village, near the Rusizi River, on the border between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Suspicion is falling on the Imbonerakure—members of the youth league of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party, considered a militia by the UN—accused of involvement in smuggling activities. The population is demanding a thorough investigation.

The gruesome discovery shocked residents of Mparambo I village, in the Rugombo district, in the border province of Cibitoke. On Sunday, June 1st, the lifeless body of Joseph Kariyo, a 38-year-old farmer who had been missing for over a week, was found about a hundred meters from the Rusizi River, which marks the natural border between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to initial witnesses, local fishermen, the body’s advanced state of decomposition left little doubt as to the victim’s identity. “It’s Joseph, a discreet man who regularly cultivated his fields near the Rusizi,” confided an angry resident of Mparambo I village, who wished to remain anonymous.

A local security source confirmed that he was indeed a resident of Mparambo I village, known for his agricultural activities not far from the border. Suspicions quickly arose around the youths affiliated with the Imbonerakure League, often accused of illegally transporting goods between Burundi and the DRC.

Several local sources indicate that Joseph Kariyo may have witnessed illicit trafficking and thus posed a threat to these young people. “He was a nuisance. He knew too much,” says a source close to the case, suggesting a possible assassination to silence an inconvenient witness.

The district administrator of Rugombo, Gilbert Manirakiza, confirmed the discovery of the body and its hasty burial, citing health reasons. “The body was rapidly decomposing. We couldn’t risk contaminating the local population,” he explained, while calling on the deceased’s family to be patient while awaiting the results of the ongoing investigations.

The population, for its part, is making no secret of its outrage. Many are demanding a rigorous and impartial investigation to shed full light on the circumstances of this suspicious death and to identify the alleged perpetrators of this crime.

It should be remembered that Cibitoke province is one of the provinces where gruesome discoveries are increasingly being reported, and that investigations are often unsuccessful in most cases. The local administration generally proceeds with hasty burials of the bodies, citing the need to protect residents from possible diseases.