Exiled Burundi coup plotters sentenced to life
Those accused of plotting a coup in Burundi in 2015 were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court last year, documents made pubic on Friday reveal.
They include former army generals, politicians, journalists and right activists – all sentenced in absentia.
Burundi was plunged into a political crisis following the coup attempt in which thousands were killed and hundreds of thousands others fled to neighbouring countries.
Court documents show that a total of 34 suspects were found guilty in June 2020.
They were ordered to pay a collective fine 1.5bn Burundi francs ($780,000; £567,000) to victims of the coup, which includes the ruling CNDD-FDD party.
Those found guilty include:
- Godefroid Niyombare – a general and the alleged leader of the plot
- Bernard Busokoza – a former vice-president
- Potien Gaciyubwenge – a former defence minister
- Onesime Nduwimana – a former communications minister
- Leonidas Hatungimana – a former presidential spokesman
- Marguerite Barankitse – a government critic
- Onesime Nduwimana – a former opposition MP.
The whereabouts of Gen Niyombare and the other top officials are unknown – they all fled after the failed coup.
“A group trial that doesn’t show everyone’s role, a trial that no suspect attended, it is only a case of hatred, and political decision paper given to judges to sign on.”
