The recent investigation session at the Kinshasa/Gombe garrison military court shed light on new elements concerning the case of the attack on the residence of Vital Kamerhe and the alleged aborted coup d’état. The interrogation of Madame Mbemba Ndona Mado, a cleaner at the Palais de la Nation, attracted the attention of the public prosecutor, who suspects her of having provided crucial information to the attackers.
Ms. Mbemba Ndona Mado’s lawyers strongly contested the accusations against her, highlighting the lack of tangible evidence on the part of the public prosecutor. They raised relevant arguments on the legal principle of borrowing from criminality, outdated since 2005, but raised again in the context of this case. This archaic approach, lawyers say, has no solid legal basis and cannot be used to convict an individual without compelling evidence.
As the hearings progressed, other defendants were summoned and were able to give their version of events. The court heard varied testimony, including that of the British of Congolese origin Youssouf Ezangi, considered to be the deputy coordinator of the New Zaire movement. American subjects Marcel Malanga, Benjamin Zalman, Taylor Christian Thomson, as well as Belgian-Congolese military expert Jean-Jacques Wondo, were also questioned. The drivers of the vehicle which transported the attackers and other people involved in the events were indicted.
The 51 defendants face serious charges, ranging from terrorism to illegal possession of weapons of war, including attempted assassination and criminal association. These crimes can be punishable by the death penalty, recently reinstated after the lifting of the moratorium in March 2024. The stakes are high, and the legal procedure must shed light on the responsibilities of each person in these reprehensible acts.
This affair highlights the tensions and political issues that characterize the Congolese scene. Defense lawyers fight to assert their clients’ rights, while the prosecution seeks to establish the truth and bring justice to the victims of these violent acts. The outcome of this trial will have significant repercussions on the political and legal landscape of Congo. We await with interest the developments to come in this affair with multiple twists and turns.