Gitega : two more bodies found in less than 24 hours, vigilante justice raises concerns

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, August 26, 2026 — Two more bodies were discovered on Monday, August 24, in two locations in Gitega province, in central Burundi. The first was that of a man who was reportedly beaten to death by residents after being caught stealing rabbits. The second was that of a baby boy whose circumstances of death remain unknown.

These discoveries come as the district of Bugendana, also in Gitega province, was shaken on Tuesday, August 25, by two other deaths in separate circumstances.

Népomucène Ntakarutimana beaten to death after accusation of theft

In the Kiruhura valley, in Kiremera village, in Gitega district and province, the lifeless body of Népomucène Ntakarutimana was found on Monday, August 24, according to a witness.

The information was confirmed by Jean Claude Mpfukamensabe, chief of Kiremera village.

According to this local official, the victim was apprehended while attempting to steal rabbits belonging to Anitha Nshimirimana.

Also according to the village chief, residents, angered after catching the alleged thief, beat him severely before finishing him off with blows from clubs.

The exact circumstances of his death will have to be established by the investigation.

Following the incident, Jacqueline Ndayishimiye, Anitha Nshimirimana, and Arsène Ciza were arrested. Jean Claude Mpfukamensabe indicated that they were taken to the police station in Giheta for questioning.

A baby found dead in another valley

On the same Monday, August 24, another lifeless body was discovered in Gitega province.

It was a baby boy, found in the Karonga valley, which separates the Yoba and Rukoba districts.

The discovery was confirmed by the Gitega police. At this stage, the circumstances of the death and the identity of any perpetrators remain unknown.

The infant’s body was buried on site, pending further investigation to determine the exact circumstances of his death and identify any perpetrators.

Two deaths in Bugendana on Tuesday

The following day, Tuesday, August 25, the district of Bugendana recorded two more deaths in separate circumstances.

The Bugendana police chief was arrested as part of the investigation into these events, according to information gathered by SOS Médias Burundi.

These events have reignited concerns about the violence and methods used during security force interventions, as well as the increasing number of score-settling incidents and acts of mob justice in the province.

Mob justice raises concerns

The death of Népomucène Ntakarutimana constitutes another alleged case of mob justice in Gitega. People suspected of offenses are sometimes violently punished by residents even before any legal intervention.

In recent months, several similar cases have been reported in the province, including people accused of theft who were beaten to death with clubs.

Human rights organizations regularly denounce these practices, recalling that anyone suspected of an offense must be brought before competent courts and receive a fair trial.

Human rights at the heart of concerns

The increasing number of violent deaths and bodies found in various regions of the country comes amid concerns raised by human rights organizations, the Catholic Church, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi regarding violations of fundamental rights and impunity.

Human rights defenders are calling on the authorities to guarantee the right to life, conduct independent investigations, and prosecute those responsible for violence, whoever they may be.

The Catholic bishops of Burundi have also raised the alarm about the rise in assassinations, disappearances, and other forms of violence, urging the authorities to strengthen security and combat impunity.

For his part, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi has expressed concerns regarding extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and acts of torture.

In Gitega, four deaths reported in two days, under different circumstances, have raised further questions about the protection of the right to life and the capacity of institutions to fully investigate violent deaths. The investigations are ongoing.