Bubanza: five sentenced in a Gihanga “sex theft” rumor case

SOS Médias Burundi

Bubanza, March 12, 2026—An unusual rumor of “sex theft” in Gihanga sparked violence and led to the conviction of five people, including a village chief, in Bubanza. The case illustrates how quickly false information can inflame local populations.

The Bubanza First Instance Court, in Bujumbura province, in the west of the small east African nation, sentenced five people on Thursday, including a village chief from the Gihanga zone in Mpanda district, for spreading false rumors and assault and battery.

The defendants were each sentenced to pay 600,000 Burundi francs, including a 200,000 franc fine and 400,000 francs in damages.

The events date back to March 7, 2026, in the center of Gihanga. According to information presented in court, a young Imbonerakure, a member of the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party, named Kelly, son of the Gihanga Centre village chief, alerted residents, claiming that his penis had disappeared after contact with his neighbor, Christian Irankunda. Kelly has been on the run since the incident.

Following this accusation, a crowd from the Ragaza neighborhood and the center of Gihanga quickly gathered. The residents then attacked Christian Irankunda. His brother-in-law, Emile Nzeyimana, who came to his aid, was also assaulted.

The two men were violently assaulted before being taken to the hospital where they received treatment.

Following the incident, police arrested four people suspected of participating in the attack.

The case was heard in summary proceedings on March 12, 2026, during a public hearing at the Bubanza First Instance Court. Village Chief Jean Marie Ndikumana was also among the defendants.

During the trial, they were prosecuted for spreading false rumors related to the alleged “sexual theft by mere touch,” as well as for assault and battery.

In his closing arguments, the deputy prosecutor requested a one-year prison sentence and a fine of 200,000 Burundi francs for the four young defendants. He also requested a two-year prison sentence for village Chief Jean Marie Ndikumana.

The court ultimately opted for fines, ordering the five defendants to pay 600,000 Burundi francs each.

Other convictions in similar cases have recently been handed down in other parts of the country. According to several local sources, these rumors of “sex theft” began circulating in the Buyenzi zone, in the center of the commercial capital Bujumbura, before spreading to several other localities in the country, including Cibitoke, in Bujumbura province, and Rumonge, in Burunga province, in the south.