The trial of the IBTP students in Butembo continues to animate the judicial debates on this Thursday, September 19, 2024. This second day of hearing was marked by the requisitions of the public prosecutor, requesting sentences of penal servitude and substantial fines against the defendants. Indeed, the accused, ten students and their Academic Secretary General, must answer the charges of destruction, violence, intentional assault and battery, as well as arson.
The atmosphere was tense in the large room of the city hall which had been chosen to host the trial, following its relocation from the PNC headquarters. The public prosecutor pleaded for a sentence of 14 years and six months of penal servitude, a fine of 350 thousand Congolese francs, the repair of damaged property, the care of hospitalized victims and the payment of damages.
The defense of the Academic Secretary General tried to raise several exceptions, but these were rejected by the court after advice from the public prosecutor. The alleged involvement of the latter in inciting students to commit the disturbances of Tuesday, September 17 was particularly highlighted.
The defendants, including Mumbere Kayenga Gulde, Abhia Ndroa Andani Kevin, Ifonde Falanga Renayi, Malongo Basosila Rodrigue, Kamate Nelson Pacifique, Byamungu Cibalonza, Katembo Kighoma Justin, Kisanga Bilanga Dephin, Mugisha Kayengo Aristote, and Lokakola Geminga Élie, will have to wait until the hearing resumes on Friday, September 20, 2024 for the pleadings.
This trial reveals the tensions and challenges of the education system in a context where acts of violence and destruction are condemnable. It also raises questions about individual and collective responsibility, as well as the need for fair and educational justice to avoid such excesses in the future.
This case demonstrates the importance of in-depth reflection on the underlying causes of student conflicts and the need to establish a constructive dialogue between the various stakeholders in education. Truth and justice must prevail to ensure a peaceful environment conducive to the development of Congolese youth.
Pending the final deliberations and the upcoming pleadings, the outcome of this trial attracts the attention of an entire nation and raises questions about how Congolese society manages the challenges of youth and education.