Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, former Prime Minister accused of attempting to overthrow the incumbent government, has just been sentenced to life imprisonment. The verdict was pronounced on November 8, 2023, by the Supreme Court, which found Bunyoni guilty of seven charges, including « conspiracy against the Head of State to overthrow the constitutional regime, » « attempted assassination of the Head of State using fetishes, » « outrage against the Head of State and the Prime Minister, » as well as accusations of undermining the internal security of the State. These charges are accompanied by allegations of « illicit enrichment » and « destabilization of the Burundian economy. »
The Court also ordered the confiscation of four real estate properties owned by Bunyoni, along with a piece of land and 14 vehicles, according to judicial sources. Stripped of his position as Head of Government in September 2022 after two years in office, Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni was arrested in April 2023, alongside six co-defendants. Despite pleading not guilty and demanding immediate acquittal due to a lack of evidence, the court, in disagreement, pronounced the conviction during the trial.