Pacifique moved to the city to make a better life for himself. He worked hard as a cleaner in an affluent neighbourhood and had high hopes for the future, until his life was turned upside down.
“It was a rainy night. At around 2 am, I was awakened by cold drops on my head – water was leaking into my small room. When I looked through the glass door, something felt wrong. Items were scattered outside, and a ladder was leaned against the house.” Trembling with fear, Pacifique gathered his courage and went to investigate. As he stepped out, he noticed that the front door was open. Alarmed, he rushed to the night guard, who ignored him. He decided to alert the police, but despite his honesty, Pacifique was arrested alongside the guard.
“They skipped questioning and sent us straight to prison. It felt like falling into a deep, dark hole.”
For over a year, Pacifique languished in prison, his case repeatedly postponed without explanation. “They kept telling me the person in charge wasn’t present, or they had misplaced my file. Fourteen times I walked in with hope, and fourteen times I walked back, shattered. I started to believe that the truth didn’t matter to anyone.”
To make matters worse, the security guard was released despite his negligence, but Pacifique remained imprisoned. “When I asked why the real culprit was free while I was still caged, they told me to wait. Wait. That word became a prison of its own.” When the Restoration Burundi (RESTOBU) legal team heard about the case, they felt compelled to help. “They were my only light. Their lawyer walked with me through every struggle, every appointment. For the first time, someone cared.”
Through their persistence, Pacifique had all the charges against him dropped, as well as a damages payout. “The bars are gone, but the wounds remain. I lost my job, my reputation, and my peace of mind.” Yet, amidst the pain, Pacifique chooses gratitude. “I cannot find words strong enough to thank RESTOBU. Because of their tireless efforts, I am free today.”
In the past six months, RESTOBU’s team of lawyers has advocated for and freed over 50 people who had been wrongly
imprisoned! “Helping people get their lives back brings a sense of fulfilment and joy in my heart,” RESTOBU leader Gratien shares.
As well as helping individuals, RESTOBU’s prison programme has a vision for long-term impact and systemic change. Its goals include preventing reoffending, facilitating social reintegration, strengthening oversight and ethics in courts and prisons, and promoting justice alternatives.
They recently hosted a forum with key national leaders to highlight these issues, which was covered by national news. Gratien’s traumatic childhood could have defined his whole life. Instead, he chose the route of compassion and justice, growing into a dynamic and compelling leader, using his gifts to serve the people of Burundi. GLO’s mission is to support leaders like Gratien so they can maximise their impact and enact genuine change in Burundi.
