Seventeen security officials, including five generals, accused over the attempted coup of Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza, have appeared before a prosecutor who charged them with an attempt at destabilising public institutions.

Two senior army officers and a police general accused of taking part in an attempted coup in Burundi have been arrested, a presidential spokesman said as it became apparent that a military plot to oust president Pierre Nkurunziza had fizzled out.

Police vanished from the streets of Burundi’s capital as thousands of people celebrated a coup attempt against president Pierre Nkurunziza, who was in a neighbouring country for a conference.