It has now been two weeks since Ngarukiye Juste, a 38-year-old Burundian citizen, was allegedly arrested and has remained unaccounted for. Since his presumed arrest by intelligence service agents, his family and relatives have continued to receive no reliable information about his whereabouts or the conditions under which he may be detained.
Ngarukiye Juste is married and has one child. He is originally from Mwegera Hill, in Mbuye Commune, formerly in Muramvya Province, an area that now falls under Muramvya Commune in the new Gitega Province, following the recent administrative reorganization.
He currently lives with his family in Musave neighborhood, in Gitega City. A teacher by profession, he works at Lycée Mbuye. In addition to teaching, he sells milk to support his family. He also runs a café located in Rubuye, in Musave neighborhood, where he usually spends part of his time when he is not at school. To our knowledge, Ngarukiye Juste had not recently been involved in any particular political activities.
Circumstances of Ngarukiye Juste’s Presumed Arrest
On Wednesday, September 9, 2026, Ngarukiye Juste was at his café in Rubuye, where he was spending the evening.
At around 7:30 p.m., two judicial police officers, wearing uniforms and reportedly led by Venant Ndayishimiye, identified as the intelligence officer at the provincial level in Gitega, allegedly arrived at the premises. They were accompanied by a member of the Imbonerakure identified as Desiré, who was reportedly the Imbonerakure leader in Musave neighborhood.
According to testimonies gathered, the two officers allegedly arrested Ngarukiye Juste and handcuffed him before taking him across the road, where a vehicle was parked out of sight.
They then allegedly placed him inside the vehicle and drove away toward central Gitega.
Since this presumed arrest, no confirmed information about Ngarukiye Juste’s whereabouts has been established.
People close to Ngarukiye Juste have undertaken efforts to determine where he may have been taken or detained. Despite approaching various services, they reportedly have not received sufficiently precise information to establish his whereabouts.
When questioned about the matter, Venant Ndayishimiye, identified as the intelligence officer at the commune level in Gitega, reportedly stated that he had no information about Ngarukiye Juste’s arrest.
Meanwhile, the organization King Umurundi Freedom has undertaken efforts to obtain clarification regarding Ngarukiye Juste’s situation and to determine where he may be detained.
The provincial intelligence officer has neither confirmed nor explicitly denied the arrest. However, in a message, he indicated that we could go to his office to meet with him.
A Situation That Requires Answers
To date, the situation of Ngarukiye Juste remains extremely concerning.
His family and relatives remain completely uncertain about his whereabouts, the reasons for his presumed arrest, and the conditions under which he may be detained.
The continued absence of information raises serious concerns about his safety, physical integrity, and respect for his fundamental rights.
Call for Clarification and Protection of Ngarukiye Juste
In light of this situation, King Umurundi Freedom calls on the competent authorities and security services to shed full light on the fate of Ngarukiye Juste.
We call for his whereabouts to be clearly established and communicated, for the circumstances and reasons for his presumed arrest to be officially clarified, and, if he is indeed being detained, for his fundamental rights to be fully guaranteed.
We also call on the National Independent Commission for Human Rights (CNIDH) to take up this matter, undertake the necessary steps to determine where Ngarukiye Juste is, verify the conditions of his possible detention, and ensure follow-up on his case.
It is essential that the truth be established regarding this case and that Ngarukiye Juste’s family finally be informed of his fate.
Two weeks after his presumed arrest, the silence and uncertainty surrounding his situation can only deepen the concerns of his loved ones.
Where is Ngarukiye Juste? Why was he arrested? Where is he today?
These questions remain unanswered.
King Umurundi Freedom calls for full clarification of the fate of Ngarukiye Juste.