Kassi Manlan

Dr. Kassi Manlan was a World Health Organization representative who was assassinated in Burundi in 2001.

Life

Dr Manlan was born on 1 December 1947. He was a citizen of Côte d'Ivoire, but living in Bujumbura, Burundi at the time of his assassination. He had earned a Doctorate of Medicine specialized in Hepato-Gastro-Enterology, and wrote over fifty medical articles/reports. From 1972 to 1995, he taught at the Faculty of Medicine in Abidjan. During his career, He supervised about 40 doctoral theses in medicine, helped train many doctors, and served as Senior Physician in several hospitals. After consultanting for the WHO (World Health Organization) he joined in 1995. From 1998 to 2001, he was responsible for the Development of Human Resources for Health unit in the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. Three months before his death, he assumed the post of World Health Organization Representative in Burundi in 2001.

Death

The badly beaten body of Kassi Manlan, was found in the shallows of Lake Tanganyika, near a sailing club, on November 20, 2001. He was killed when he discovered a scam that diverted aid money from the purchase of malaria drugs to private bank accounts.

Ms. Gertrude Nyamoya, (a Burundian who had worked for Dr Manlan), Gerard Ntunzwenayo, (deputy head of the border police who was deputy administrator of Burundi's secret service at the time of the murder), Major Emile Manisha (the director general of the public security police) and several others were charged. All except Lamine Diara, who fled the country and was charged in absentia, were captured. The defense claimed former president Pierre Buyoya (and accused war criminal) was involved in a leadership position, but could not present sufficient evidence to charge him.

Manlan was survived by his wife and four children.