The High Military Court recently studied a request for provisional release presented by General Zelwa Katanga, better known as Djadidja. The latter is one of the defendants in the case of the alleged assassination of Floribert Chebeya and Fidèle Bazana.
During the hearing, the defendant was identified by the High Military Court. His lawyers argued that his detention was unlawful, as it was decided without due process. Moreover, they claimed that the pre-trial detention had not been extended by the competent judge, as required by law. They also underlined the absence of serious elements justifying his guilt and affirmed that his flight was not to be feared, because his identity was well known.
For his part, the auditor general pleaded in favor of keeping the defendant in detention, because of the seriousness of the charges against him. He affirmed that no rule concerning pre-trial detention had been violated and that the defendant’s rights had been respected.
The decision of the High Military Court on General Zelwa Katanga’s request for provisional release will be rendered on Thursday, July 13, 2023.
It is important to closely follow developments in this case, which is arousing great interest in Congolese public opinion. The results of this decision could have significant repercussions on the judicial system and the perception of the rule of law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.