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Parma Police Arrest Burundian Man in 2014 Murders of Three Italian Missionaries

Prosecutors in Parma say the plot grew from Burundi's secret police circles.

Overview

  • Guillaume Harushimana, 50, a Burundian resident of Parma, was detained under a precautionary order as a gravely indicated suspect in the killings of Sisters Olga Raschietti, Lucia Pulici and Bernardetta Boggian in Bujumbura in 2014.
  • Investigators identify the late Gen. Adolphe Nshimirimana, then head of Burundi’s intelligence, as the likely mastermind behind the attack.
  • Prosecutors allege Harushimana acted as instigator and logistics organizer, conducting reconnaissance, securing keys, obtaining disguises and guaranteeing payments while facilitating the killers’ entry and exit.
  • Three motive lines remain under examination: refusal to provide care or support to militias, control over funds tied to the Kamenge youth center, and a possible ritual rationale.
  • The probe was revived in 2024 following journalist Giusy Baioni’s book, with Italy’s justice minister authorizing proceedings, and reporting has prompted scrutiny of public funds granted to a Parma-based cooperative he coordinated.