Imbonerakure Group Kills Six Accused of Witchcraft in Burundi

The attacks occurred on Monday in the Gasarara Hill area, east of Burundi’s financial capital, Bujumbura. A local official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that a group of Imbonerakure members stormed the homes of 10 people accused of witchcraft and carried out the brutal killings.

Two of the victims were burned alive, while the others were either stoned or beaten to death with sticks. The official described the incident as “horrific, an indescribable barbarity.”

Police intervened and managed to save three other individuals who were also targeted by the group. Videos allegedly showing the attacks have been circulating on social media since Tuesday, and two eyewitnesses confirmed to AFP that the footage was genuine and that the attackers were indeed Imbonerakure members.

Imbonerakure’s History of Violence
The Imbonerakure, a youth wing of Burundi’s ruling party, has long been accused of human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings, particularly during the presidency of Pierre Nkurunziza (2005-2020). Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), have classified the group as a militia.

Arrests and Legal Context
Bujumbura Governor Desire Nsengiyumva announced that 12 people have been arrested in connection with the incident. This comes in a country where accusations of witchcraft have led to severe legal consequences. Last year, Burundi’s Supreme Court sentenced a former prime minister to life in prison for allegedly using witchcraft to endanger the president’s life, destabilize the economy, and illegally enrich himself.