Ernest Manirumva (died April 9, 2009) was a leading Burundian anti-corruption activist.
Manirumva had served as the deputy chairman of the Anti-corruption and Economic Malpractice Observatory (OLUCOME), an non-governmental, anti-graft watchdog group, before his murder in 2009. [1] The organization has been responsible for uncovering a number of corruption scandals within the Burundian governmment and the business community in recent years.[1]
On the evening of Wednesday, April 8, 2009, Manirumva was abducted from his office and taken to his home in Bujumbura where he was killed.[1] His office and home were ransacked in the attack. Police believe that Manirumva, who suffered stab wounds to his head, was killed at home after midnight on April 9, 2009.[2] Manirumva's body was discovered by neighbors on Thursday morning.[2]
A police spokesperson told the media following the discovery of the crime scene that, "Manirumva was assassinated after midnight. We don't yet know the people who committed the crime but investigations have started."[2] Gervais Ndirakobuca, a deputy police chief, noted that Manirumva's murder was not "an ordinary crime during a robbery."[1]
Olucome spokesperson Richard Ntawe told the BBC's French language service that, "We are shocked by the cold-blooded murder of our deputy president. We are convinced that this his assassination is linked to the work he was doing. They didn't steal anything, they were looking for specific documents."[1]
OLUCOME officials have demanded an international investigation into Manirumva's murder.[3]