The investigation into the assassination of Chérubin Okende: the need for international transparency
Since the assassination of national deputy Chérubin Okende, calls have multiplied for an international and independent investigation to shed light on this heinous act. During a press conference, the secretary general of the Ensemble pour la République party, Dieudonné Bolengetenge, recalled the urgency of setting up a commission of inquiry and declared: “The time wasted serves the assassins.”
Calling for a search for truth without complacency, Bolengetenge criticized the lack of concrete action in this case and stressed the importance of an independent international investigation to find the perpetrators and sponsors of this crime. He also called for Belgian and South African experts and representatives of Monusco, France, Great Britain and the United States to be associated with this investigation.
The assassination of Chérubin Okende has cast a shadow over the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a few months before the presidential elections. Okende was a senior official and spokesperson for the party of Moise Katumbi, presidential candidate. His death sparked tensions and a climate of terror in the Congolese capital.
The results of the investigation are eagerly awaited, and the pressure is mounting for concrete measures to be taken quickly. The DRC government had initially sought the help of Belgian and South African experts, but time is running out and doubts are setting in as to the possibility of obtaining real transparency in this affair.
It is crucial that the truth be revealed in the assassination of Chérubin Okende, in order to ensure justice for his family, but also to preserve integrity and democracy in the DRC. An international and independent investigation is the only way forward to obtain answers and put an end to the impunity that threatens the stability of the country.
It is essential that the international community support this request for an investigation so that the DRC can move forward towards a peaceful and democratic future. Time is running out and every day that passes without action only benefits the assassins. The honor of Chérubin Okende and justice for his assassination are at stake. The rapid establishment of an international commission of inquiry is crucial for the truth to finally come out and those responsible to be brought to justice