The ordeal of the student Christella NDAYISHIMIYE, from Kirundo province, has stirred strong emotions within the Burundian public opinion. The case even drew the attention of the President of the Republic, Évariste NDAYISHIMIYE, as well as the Minister of Justice, Domine BANYANKIMBONA.
During a public intervention, the Head of State expressed outrage:
“Tell me, how can a student be accused of stealing an exam simply because she knew the answers well?”
The Minister of Justice tried to downplay the case by calling it a “small misunderstanding.”
The President continued: “These judges are incompetent!”
The Minister responded: “They completely lost it in their way of delivering the verdict.”
The President concluded firmly: “They should be dismissed and find another job.”
But the Minister appeared to defend them: “I had given them clear instructions.”
So one question remains: why, despite the national importance of the case, has Minister Domine BANYANKIMBONA never mentioned the key role of Oscar NEMEYIMANA in this file? Her silence surprises many citizens, some even calling for her resignation.
Information gathered during our investigation suggests that the Minister may have received a substantial bribe to cover up the case. Since the scandal emerged in March 2023, she has remained strangely silent. Sources indicate she was given about 10 million Burundian francs to facilitate Oscar NEMEYIMANA’s escape, the main suspect in the case. In return, a plot was arranged to accuse the student Christella of stealing an exam at the Mugendo communal high school.
According to our information, this amount was shared between two influential people in the region:
• Déo SIBOMANA, Oscar’s brother-in-law and a well-known businessman in Kirundo province,
• Dieudonné MURENGERANTWARI, Governor of the Central Bank of Burundi (BRB) and a powerful member of Oscar’s family.
It is clear that the governor turned a blind eye to the facts, fully aware of the game being played. Since the beginning of the fight to defend Christella, no word of support has come from him, despite officially representing the Head of State in the province.
🔺 Where did Oscar NEMEYIMANA hide during the past three months?
Since March, Oscar NEMEYIMANA has been on the run. Many thought he had left the country, with some claiming he had taken refuge in neighboring Rwanda, which is false. In reality, Oscar NEMEYIMANA was hosted at the home of Dieudonné MURENGERANTWARI, Governor of the Central Bank of Burundi (BRB).
The rumors about his exile were deliberately spread by authorities in Kirundo province to mislead the population.
A powerful group of CNDD-FDD cadres in Kirundo is protecting Oscar NEMEYIMANA and doing everything possible to prevent his arrest.
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🔺 The role of the governor in the Christella NDAYISHIMIYE case
Albert HATUNGIMANA, governor of Kirundo province, was at the forefront giving instructions and preparing the manipulation of the dossier. It is important to note that the governor is a close ally of Oscar NEMEYIMANA and was the one who provided a car to facilitate his escape.
Moreover, on July 26, 2023, shortly after Oscar’s escape, the student Christella sent a letter to the governor, begging for help because she was threatened with retaliation if the case was not fairly handled. The governor never responded or offered support.
Mrs. Léocadie MUKAPORONA, head of education in the province, was part of the group that organized Christella’s arrest. She was sent to Mugendo High School to investigate the matter and quickly concluded that Christella had stolen.
Surprisingly, Mrs. MUKAPORONA stated that this issue had never been addressed before at this school. Furthermore, she ordered the police of Ntega commune to arrest Christella during the night of June 28, 2023, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and then to detain her in the communal jail.
What shocked many people was that Mrs. MUKAPORONA decided to annul Christella’s grades and school year even before she was officially found guilty. This decision was made on July 7, 2023, while the trial took place on July 12, 2023. This means Christella’s school year was suspended five days before she was formally convicted.
King Umurundi Freedom is deeply shocked by this unfair treatment of Christella. We urgently call on higher authorities to intervene to ensure justice and fairness for this young girl and for Oscar NEMEYIMANA to be prosecuted according to the law.