The article on current events in the Democratic Republic of Congo addresses a worrying subject: the assassination of the deputy and opponent Chérubin Okende. The latter was found dead in his jeep after being kidnapped by armed individuals in Kinshasa. Since then, the government has announced the establishment of a commission of inquiry to shed light on this heinous act.
However, several days after this announcement, public opinion is questioning the progress of the investigation and the guarantees as to its independence. Indeed, the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently going through a period of political tension linked to the preparations for the general elections scheduled for December. It is essential that this investigation be prompt, impartial and transparent in order to restore the confidence of the stakeholders and the international community.
Human rights organizations support this investigation and call for the investigators to be granted full independence, while respecting the integrity of the investigation. The credibility of the Congolese authorities is also being tested, given the country’s history of unsolved murders. It is therefore crucial that those responsible for this assassination, as well as their possible sponsors, be identified and brought to justice.
In this perspective, steps have been taken with Belgium, France, South Africa and Monusco to benefit from forensic expertise. However, it is regretted that the international investigators of Monusco were not associated as soon as the body of Chérubin Okende was discovered. Guarantees must also be given as to the speed and exhaustiveness of the investigations, as well as the transparent communication of the results.
Both the Congolese government and Moïse Katumbi, leader of the Together for the Republic party, are committed to the search for truth and justice. However, the case of the assassination of Chérubin Okende is also an opportunity for the authorities to restore confidence with the stakeholders in the electoral process, to show their commitment to the rule of law and to put an end to the impunity which reigns in the country.
In conclusion, the assassination of Chérubin Okende represents a real challenge for the Congolese authorities. A rapid, impartial and transparent investigation is necessary to shed light on this heinous act and restore the confidence of the population and the international community. Those responsible for this murder must be identified and brought to justice, in order to end the impunity that persists in the Democratic Republic of Congo