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Burundi's civil society, media, urge credible investigations over Italian nuns' killing

Xinhua, February 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least 480 Burundian civil society and media organizations Tuesday launched a "green Tuesday" campaign, urging credible investigations on the assassination of three Italian nuns killed on Sept. 7, 2014 in Bujumbura, those organizations told a joint press conference.

"This is the first Tuesday after the release on bail of Bob Rugurika, Director of the African Public Radio (RPA) who was unfairly detained while he was helping magistrates and investigators to know the truth on the killing of three Italian nuns in September last night," said Faustin Ndikumana, chairman of the Association advocating change of mentalities (PARCEM) during the joint press conference.

According to him, civil society and media organizations involved in the green Tuesday campaign are urging the "acquittal" of Bob Rugurika and "credible" investigations on the assassination of the three Italian nuns in September last year.

Rugurika was granted a bail on Feb. 17 this year and had been arrested on Jan. 20.

Upon arrest, he was taken to Mpimba prison in the Burundian capital Bujumbura and was transferred to Muramvya prison two days later.

The prosecutor accused Bob Rugurika of three offences including the divulgation of the instruction secrecy, complicity in the assassination and hiding criminals of the three Italian nuns.

Days before arresting Bob Rugurika, the private radio broadcast, in its news, voices of people who are believed, by the public, to be the "real" witnesses and participators in the assassination of the three Italian nuns.

PARCEM Chairman Faustin Ndikumana indicated that justice should also be made for Christian Claude Butoyi "unfairly" detained over the assassination of the three Italian nuns.

Christian Claude Butoyi, believed by the civil society and media organizations to suffer from mental disorders, was arrested shortly after the assassination of the Italian nuns at their convent at Kamenge Parish.

Burundian civil society and media organizations also urged the Vatican and Italy to get more involved in seeking truth about the assassination of the three Italian nuns. Endi