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BUJUMBURA. — A local official of Burundian ruling party was killed early Monday by two soldiers in a village of Gitega Province in central Burundi, said a provincial official and the police.

Evariste Ngenzi, secretary of the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) of the Mutoyi village in Bugendana district, was shot dead when taking drinks along with his party mates in a bar at the village by two soldiers based at the Mutoyi military post around 2:30 a.m., said Beatrice Bukuru, administrator of Bugendana district.

Early investigations show that one of the soldiers found Ngenzi and his party mates by midnight upon the latter arriving at the bar, said Bukuru. People at the bar heard that the soldier said the latter were members of ruling party’s youth league Imbonerakure who were coming from the party activities and vowed to kill one of them, she said.

She added that the soldier then went to the military post and came with his colleague to the bar. The two soldiers then urged people at the bar to lie down, said the administrator.

Ngenzi refused, arguing that they had done nothing wrong, she said, adding that the soldiers who had a stick began to beat him. Ngenzi attempted to run and they shot him 15 bullets and he died on the spot, according to her.

Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said that the two soldiers have been arrested for further investigations. – Xinhua