On Wednesday July 19, the military tribunal of Kikwit, Kwilu and Kwango rendered its verdict in the case of the Mobondo militiamen arrested in Kenge, in the province of Kwango. Of the 79 assailants prosecuted, 63 were sentenced to 20 years of penal servitude, while only one was sentenced to death for the murder of Colonel Bienvenu Kabwe during the Bashongo attack last May. Fifteen defendants were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The Mobondo armed group was born out of a land dispute between the Teke and Yaka communities and has already caused the death of at least 300 people in less than a year, according to Human Rights Watch. The Congolese armed forces, the FARDC, have stepped up their efforts to hunt down Mobondo militiamen and restore peace and state authority in the region. Recently, several rebels were captured during an ambush by the army at the Pont Kwango post, and weapons were seized.
In the province of Maï-Ndombe, elements of the Mobile Intervention Group also succeeded in arresting Kafuti Badimilwana, alias American, leader of the Mobondo assailants in the locality of Kimpana. In addition, rebel belongings were recovered from various locations in Kwamouth.
These actions bear witness to the efforts made by the Congolese government to put an end to the violence and restore security in the region. The capture and sentencing of the Mobondo militiamen is a significant step forward in the fight against the armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, continued investment in security and prevention measures is essential to ensure lasting peace in the Kwango region and beyond