Fatshimetrie, August 2, 2024: An unprecedented event shakes the city of Kinshasa as 65 individuals are brought to justice for acts of vandalism committed on a building located near the residence of former President Joseph Kabila. The scene takes place in front of the High Court of Kinshasa-Gombe, in flagrante delicto proceedings.
Gathered in a mobile court at Place des Évolués, north of the Congolese capital, the defendants face a request for preventive detention from the public prosecutor, arguing that most of them do not have fixed addresses. At the same time, the defense lawyers plead in favor of provisional release, denouncing inhumane detention conditions.
However, due to logistical constraints, the identification of all the defendants cannot be carried out during this hearing. This is therefore adjourned to Monday, August 5, 2024, leaving suspense hanging over the outcome of this case and the future of the people involved.
At the same time, echoes of gunshots resonate in Uvira Avenue, near the ambassadors’ district, revealing a land dispute between Mr. Le Kamul and an Israeli national regarding the construction of a building and the sharing of apartments. After legal proceedings, tensions rise when the final decision of the Court of Cassation is implemented. The shots heard testify to the intensity of the land conflicts that sometimes shake the city.
The complexity of legal and land cases highlights the challenges that the population of Kinshasa faces on a daily basis. Between legal procedures, private interests and social tensions, the quest for justice and stability remains a major issue for the Congolese capital.
Fatshimetrie will remain the scene of many events, where the balance between legality and individual aspirations remains fragile, but essential for the harmonious development of the city and its inhabitants.