Burundi ex-military officers face prosecution for Melchior Ndadaye assassination

The killing of President Melchior Ndadaye sparked a 10-year civil war that cost more than 300,000 lives.

FILE: Undated photo of former president of Burundian Republic Melchior Ndadaye who was killed in a abortive military coup on 21 October 1993. The coup against the democratically-elected governement threatens to throw the country into a new round of ethnic violence. Picture: AFP.

Jean-Jacques Cornish | 499 days ago

PRETORIA - Burundian authorities are playing their cards close to their chests following the arrest of four former military officers for involvement in the 1993 assassination of the country’s first democratically elected president.

State prosecutor Sylvestre Nyandwi says they’ve gathered substantial evidence against the four who will be brought to court as the investigation continues.

The killing of President Melchior Ndadaye sparked a 10-year civil war that cost more than 300,000 lives.

A United Nations report into the assassination was withheld for fear it would spark further ethnic violence.

Finally released in 1996, the report blamed the Tutsi-dominated military for killing Burundi’s first Hutu president.

President Pierre Nkurunziza, who came to power at the end of the civil war has increased tension in the country by extending his term at the helm beyond his constitutional mandate.

(Edited by Mihlali Ntsabo)

More in Africa

Comments

EWN welcomes all comments that are constructive, contribute to discussions in a meaningful manner and take stories forward.

However, we will NOT condone the following:

- Racism (including offensive comments based on ethnicity and nationality)
- Sexism
- Homophobia
- Religious intolerance
- Cyber bullying
- Hate speech
- Derogatory language
- Comments inciting violence.

We ask that your comments remain relevant to the articles they appear on and do not include general banter or conversation as this dilutes the effectiveness of the comments section.

We strive to make the EWN community a safe and welcoming space for all.

EWN reserves the right to: 1) remove any comments that do not follow the above guidelines; and, 2) ban users who repeatedly infringe the rules.

Should you find any comments upsetting or offensive you can also flag them and we will assess it against our guidelines.

EWN is constantly reviewing its comments policy in order to create an environment conducive to constructive conversations.

Burundi ex-military officers face prosecution for Melchior Ndadaye assassination

Comments

Choose an EWN Twitter account

Choose an EWN app