In a July 26 letter, political opponents Augustin Matata, Delly Sesanga and Moise Katumbi demand the resignation of judges Dieudonné Kamuleta Badibanga and Sylvain Lumu Mbaya from the Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This request follows the murder of MP Chérubin Okende and the suspicions surrounding the circumstances of this crime.
Opponents accuse the judges of having expressed themselves in the media on the progress of the investigation concerning this murder, while they are prohibited from taking a position publicly or giving consultations on questions relating to the Constitutional Court. They also underline the kidnapping of Chérubin Okende on the very premises of the Court, thus inviting the President of the Court, Dieudonné Kamuleta, to cooperate fully with the justice system in order to shed light on this affair.
The murder of Chérubin Okende, former Minister of Transport and spokesperson for the Together for the Republic party, has shaken the DRC. He was found dead, riddled with bullets, in his car in Kinshasa on July 13. Two suspects, his driver and his bodyguard, were quickly arrested. According to the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation, the weapon found next to the body of Chérubin Okende corresponds to the bullet that killed him.
In reaction to this request for the resignation of the judges of the Constitutional Court, the party Together for the Republic challenged the assertions made before the establishment of an international commission of inquiry into this murder. The party believes it is premature to draw conclusions before this commission can carry out a thorough investigation.
The request for the resignation of the judges of the Constitutional Court highlights the political tensions and suspicions that persist in the DRC. Political opponents seek to guarantee an independent and transparent investigation into this murder, in order to establish everyone’s responsibilities. The situation therefore remains very worrying and requires an adequate judicial response to advance the truth.
It is crucial that justice take the necessary measures to resolve this case and guarantee the safety and protection of political figures in the Democratic Republic of Congo