Beni, in the province of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the scene of a new mob justice case which led to the death of a woman mother, on the night of Friday 2 to Saturday 3 June 2023. She was unjustly accused of witchcraft, along with her husband, who meanwhile survived. The couple were stoned outside their home by a group of unidentified youths.
The president of the youth of the Butsili district in the commune of Mulekera, Kasereka Junior, strongly condemned this barbaric act. He called on young people not to give in to violence or the temptation of mob justice. He also called for the respect of law and authority in case of suspicion, and the denunciation of suspects to the competent people rather than taking matters into their own hands.
Mob justice cases are unfortunately increasingly frequent in Beni and other cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are often motivated by unfounded rumors and have caused the death of several innocent and wrongfully accused people. This barbaric practice must be fought and the authorities must do everything possible to educate the population in citizenship and respect for the law.