Burundi : a nurse sentenced for attempted rape of a mother in a hospital

SOS Médias Burundi

Rutana, July 4, 2026 — Found guilty of attempted rape of a mother who came to spend the night at the bedside of her hospitalized child at Gihofi Hospital, a nurse was sentenced to four years of penal servitude by the Rutana First Instance Court in Burunga Province, southeastern Burundi, sitting in summary proceedings. The judgment, handed down on Friday, includes the payment of 500,000 Burundian francs in damages to the victim, under penalty of an additional two years and six months of imprisonment.

The court examined events that occurred on the night of June 28, 2026, around 10:00 PM. According to the evidence gathered, the nurse, identified as Japhet Bangurambona, allegedly asked Edyssa Nintunze, who had come to accompany her hospitalized child, to follow him under the pretext of conducting a medical check-up.

Once inside a treatment room, he allegedly turned off the lights, locked the door, and attempted to sexually assault the young woman. The victim reportedly managed to defend herself by screaming and banging on the door repeatedly. Alerted by the noise, another person accompanying a patient intervened and forced the door open, ending the assault.

During the preliminary hearing, the defendant admitted to the charges against him. However, he claimed to have acted under the influence of alcohol.

After reviewing the case, the Rutana First Instance Court found him guilty of attempted rape and sentenced him to four years of penal servitude. It also ordered the payment of 500,000 Burundian francs in damages to the victim. Failure to pay will result in an additional sentence of two years and six months imprisonment.

This case brings back into focus the issue of sexual violence that can occur in some healthcare facilities. Testimonies gathered from patients and their companions reveal cases of abuse or harassment, sometimes reported informally, but rarely brought to justice, due to fear of reprisals, shame, or a lack of trust in the reporting mechanisms.

Faced with this situation, human rights defenders believe that additional measures are necessary, including strengthening prevention and reporting mechanisms in healthcare facilities, establishing confidential complaint mechanisms, increasing oversight of night shift services, raising awareness among healthcare staff regarding strict adherence to professional ethics, and applying disciplinary and administrative sanctions in addition to legal proceedings against any employee found guilty of such acts.