Title: The Goma shooting: a partial closed session during the hearing of the soldiers involved
Introduction :
On August 30, a deadly shooting broke out in Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The victims were followers of a mystical-religious sect who wanted to organize a march to denounce imperialism. Since then, the case has been brought before the North Kivu Military Court, where six Congolese soldiers are being prosecuted for crimes against humanity. During the hearing, a partial closed session was declared for military and strategic reasons. This article examines the details of this case and the contradictory statements of the protagonists.
Partial closed session:
The North Kivu Military Court has decided to decree a partial closed session during the hearing concerning the shooting in Goma. This measure was taken for military and strategic reasons, in order to discuss the operational order for the day of August 30. Thus, part of the hearing was held behind closed doors, limiting access to the media and the public.
Conflicting testimonies:
Before the closed session, a witness identified as MPOO2 accused Colonel Mike Mikombe Kalamba, one of the defendants, by affirming that he had given the order to the soldiers of the Republican Guard to shoot at the followers of the sect. According to the witness, Colonel Mikombe gave this order in Swahili, the local language.
However, Colonel Kalamba denied the accusations, saying he never gave the order to shoot. Instead, he said he asked the followers to leave the area because their lives were in danger. According to him, it was when he was heading towards his jeep that he heard the shots, thus contradicting the witness’s testimony.
The charges against the defendants:
The six soldiers of the Congolese army, including Colonel Mike Mikombe Kalamba, are being prosecuted for crimes against humanity. The charges against them include murder, malicious destruction and inciting military personnel to commit acts contrary to duty or discipline. The official toll from the shooting shows 56 people killed, 75 injured and 158 people arrested.
Conclusion :
The Goma shooting and the involvement of Congolese soldiers are the subject of a hearing at the North Kivu Military Court. However, the hearing was marked by a partial closed session for military and strategic reasons. The contradictory statements between witnesses and defendants make this case even more complex. We will have to wait for the court’s conclusions to know the truth about the tragic events which took place in Goma.
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