Rwandan Singer Bruce Melodie Arrested in Burundi for Fraud
Famous Rwandan singer Bruce Melodie was arrested on Wednesday in Burundi upon his arrival to perform concerts. He is currently in custody for fraud, the Burundian Ministry of Interior confirmed on Thursday.
According to the Ministry’s tweet, “Bruce Melodie is in custody, under investigation for fraud.” No further details were provided by the authorities.
Witnesses reported that as the car transporting Bruce Melodie from the Bujumbura airport was heading to the concert venue, it was intercepted by both police officers in uniform and individuals in civilian clothes. The singer was taken from the vehicle, handcuffed, and transferred to the general police station in Bujumbura.
Bruce Melodie, who had planned to hold two concerts in Bujumbura on Thursday and Friday, became the subject of controversy when news of his arrest spread across social media. Several Burundian artists voiced their disapproval of the incident.
The fraud allegations against Bruce Melodie stem from complaints related to canceled concerts. In 2018 and again in 2021, concerts scheduled by the singer were canceled at the last minute. In the first instance, the cancellation was attributed to diplomatic tensions between Burundi and Rwanda, and the second cancellation was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the promoters, Toussaint Niyukuri, who had paid a $2,000 deposit for the 2018 concert, has filed a complaint. He demands reimbursement for the deposit as well as an additional sum ranging from 30 million to 60 million Burundian francs (approximately 15,000 to 60,000 euros) for expenses incurred due to the concert cancellations.
Sources close to the artist revealed that Bruce Melodie is willing to pay part of the money, even though he believes the cancellations were caused by circumstances beyond his control, commonly referred to as “force majeure.” He hopes that an agreement can be reached, leading to his release.