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Burundi Anti-Corruption Organization OLUCOME Questions $2.4 Million in Alleged Gold-Related Transactions

By Andika Magazine（https://andikamagazine.net/author/boshirwa/）

October 20, 2026（https://andikamagazine.net/2026/10/20/）

3:52 PM

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Gabriel Rufyiri, president of the anti-corruption watchdog OLUCOME, has called on Burundian authorities to explain the movement of millions of dollars in foreign currency linked to alleged financial irregularities and gold transactions, raising concerns about transparency, public accountability and the management of the country’s scarce foreign exchange reserves.

In a press conference on Monday October 19, 2026, Rufyiri said investigations conducted by his organization had uncovered information suggesting that the amount initially reported as $814,000 was significantly higher, reaching approximately $2.4 million and involving transactions connected to Poland, mainland China and Hong Kong.

“We initially reported the $814,000 because that was what we had been told about the case. But as we continued investigating, we found that the amount was not $814,000. It was $2.4 million, and the money went to three destinations: Poland, China and Hong Kong,” Rufyiri said.

He added that some of the money had reportedly been recovered but insisted that authorities must publicly explain how the transactions occurred and identify those responsible.

“In the name of transparency and good governance, citizens have the right to know what happened. We need the relevant institutions to explain how this could happen, especially when the country is facing such a severe shortage of foreign currency,” he said.

Gold transactions raise further questions

Rufyiri also raised concerns about gold trading in Burundi, alleging that cooperatives involved in the sector had sold more than 30,000 grams of gold to the country’s central bank, the Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB), between January and July 2025.

According to Rufyiri, more than 1,600 grams of the gold were subsequently rejected because they did not meet the required quality or purity standards. He said the rejected gold was reportedly taken to Dubai in July 2025, where it was sold, before being brought back to Burundi.

Citing information his organization said it had obtained from the central bank and the ministry responsible for mining, Rufyiri said some individuals linked to the transactions may have been arrested, while others may have fled. These allegations could not be independently verified from the information provided.

He also questioned how more than $2 million could have left the central bank in foreign currency and been handed to individuals in Burundi without a clear public explanation.

“It is difficult to understand how more than $2 million can leave a state institution and be transferred in this way. These are public resources, and the people involved must explain what happened,” Rufyiri said.

Concerns over conflicts of interest

Beyond the specific financial allegations, Rufyiri criticized what he described as conflicts of interest between public officials and private businesses.

He argued that, in a properly regulated economy, business interests should be clearly separated from public authority to prevent officials, their spouses or their children from benefiting unfairly from government contracts, import licences or access to scarce foreign currency.

“In Burundi, you sometimes find people in public office, or their spouses and children, involved in business activities that give them advantages over ordinary citizens,” he said.

Rufyiri argued that such arrangements could create an uneven playing field for traders and entrepreneurs who lack political connections. He also questioned whether people with privileged access to foreign currency receive allocations before ordinary citizens and businesses with legitimate needs.

He linked these concerns to wider economic challenges, including shortages of foreign currency and instability affecting the country’s tax and customs administration.

Calls for transparency and accountability

Rufyiri said the allegations highlighted broader weaknesses in governance and the fight against corruption. He called for public access to information and credible investigations into the transactions, including the roles played by individuals and institutions involved.