The Permanent Secretary of Muyinga Commune, Dieudonnée Niyonizigiye, has been arrested and is currently being held in detention. He is reportedly detained at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service (SNR) in Bujumbura after being apprehended on July 19, 2026, in connection with the alleged possession of a consignment of smuggled coffee. His driver, known as Mayoti, was also arrested.
Circumstances of the Arrest
According to information obtained by our organization, on July 19, 2026, Mr. Niyonizigiye was intercepted while traveling in a government double-cab pickup truck bearing registration number GB002, which was allegedly carrying a shipment of coffee. The vehicle was stopped on the Muyinga–Kobero road, near the Kobero border, where the coffee was reportedly being transported for sale in Tanzania.
At the time of the arrest, Mr. Niyonizigiye was a passenger in the vehicle, while Mayoti was driving. After police officers stopped the vehicle and reportedly found the explanations provided regarding the cargo to be unsatisfactory, they contacted intelligence officers in Muyinga, who subsequently took the two men into custody.
According to the same sources, the two men spent their first night in detention in Muyinga before being transferred on July 20, 2026, to the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service in Bujumbura, where they remain in custody.
Search of His Residence
The following day, a police team led by the Muyinga Communal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant Colonel Placide Irakoze, reportedly conducted a search of Mr. Niyonizigiye’s residence.
According to the same sources, officers seized a laptop computer used by Mr. Niyonizigiye, which was reportedly one of the primary items sought during the operation. The device was subsequently taken by the intelligence services for examination, although the purpose of the search or the contents being sought remain unknown.
The same sources further allege that Mr. Niyonizigiye had been involved in this illicit coffee trade for some time. It should be recalled that he previously served as the Administrator of Gasorwe Commune under the former administrative structure before being appointed Permanent Secretary of the newly established Muyinga Commune.
Allegations of Ill-Treatment in Detention
The sources cited claim that Mr. Niyonizigiye is being held in alarming conditions at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service. They allege that he has been subjected to severe physical abuse and that his health has significantly deteriorated.
According to these sources, following his arrest, he was also accused of maintaining links with individuals regarded by the authorities as enemies of the State living abroad. They further allege that these accusations have resulted in an escalation of the ill-treatment he has endured while in detention.
The same sources call for the protection of Mr. Niyonizigiye’s fundamental rights. They argue that, even if he is required to answer allegations related to the alleged trafficking of coffee, he should be brought before a competent court in accordance with the law rather than being subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment.
Finally, King Umurundi Freedom Organization calls upon the competent authorities, particularly the National Independent Human Rights Commission (CNIDH), to take immediate action to ensure that Dieudonnée Niyonizigiye’s fundamental rights are respected and that his physical integrity and personal safety are protected.