Family of slain DR Congo ex-minister turned opposition figure wants answers
On July 13, Congolese MP Cherubin Okende was found dead with gunshot wounds in his car on a main thoroughfare in Kinshasa. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- On July 13, Congolese MP Cherubin Okende was found dead with gunshot wounds in his car on a main thoroughfare in Kinshasa.
Okende was serving as spokesman of Katumbi's party at the time of his death.
The DRC's government condemned the killing and announced an investigation. But no information about the probe has been released publicly since July 19.
A lawyer for relatives of slain Congolese opposition politician Cherubin Okende declared Tuesday they are demanding answers about his July killing, with an official probe yet to deliver results.
Laurent Onyemba, the lawyer, told reporters after a meeting with interior minister Peter Kazadi in the capital Kinshasa that "this affair has dragged on for a long time".
"We want to know who killed Cherubin, why commit such a heinous act?," said Onyemba.
On July 13, Congolese MP Cherubin Okende was found dead with gunshot wounds in his car on a main thoroughfare in Kinshasa.
The former transport minister had served under President Felix Tshisekedi before resigning and joining the party of opposition figure Moise Katumbi.
Okende was serving as spokesman of Katumbi's party at the time of his death.
The DRC's government condemned the killing and announced an investigation. But no information about the probe has been released publicly since July 19.
A public prosecutor has said that several people have been called on to assist the investigation including police officers and experts in cybercrime and telecommunications.
The results of the official autopsy have not been released, however.
A prominent Congolese journalist working for Jeune Afrique magazine was also jailed this month after an article appeared in outlet suggesting that the Democratic Republic of Congo's military intelligence agency was behind the killing.
The Congolese government has denied the allegation.
Lawyer Onyemba, said Okende's relatives had left the meeting with the interior minister "slightly encouraged" after receiving assurances that government wanted to get to the bottom of the killing.
He added that he expected developments in the investigation "within two weeks".
The DRC is scheduled to hold parliamentary and presidential elections on December 20. President Tshisekedi has declared that he is running.
