Title: General Zelwa Katanga’s request for provisional release rejected by the High Military Court
Introduction :
The High Military Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo issued an interlocutory judgment last Thursday, rejecting the request for provisional release of Brigadier General Zelwa Katanga, also known as Djadjidja. This decision follows charges of criminal association and murder weighing on the defendant. This article goes over the details of this court case.
The rejection of the request for provisional release:
The High Military Court ruled General Zelwa Katanga’s request for provisional release admissible, but unfounded. According to article 45 paragraph 2 of the Congolese Code of Criminal Procedure, the seriousness of the charges against the defendant is one of the arguments taken into account to grant or refuse a request for provisional release. In this specific case, the judges considered that the means put forward by the accused, such as his marital status and his known address, are not decisive in justifying his release.
Pre-trial detention:
The High Military Court also noted that the reasons which justified the arrest warrant and preventive detention of General Zelwa Katanga have not ceased to exist. Charges of criminal association and murder are particularly serious, and the rules of criminal procedure require that the defendant be detained until he appears in court. Thus, the brigadier general will remain in detention pending his trial.
Background of the case:
General Zelwa Katanga is being prosecuted in connection with the case of the assassination of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya and his driver Fidèle Bazana Edadi. This assassination, which occurred on June 2, 2010 in Kinshasa, aroused great emotion in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The prosecution accuses the defendant of having played a role in this case, as a former deputy commander of the 3rd Defense Zone in charge of administration and logistics.
Conclusion :
The decision of the High Military Court to reject General Zelwa Katanga’s request for provisional release reinforces the importance of the charges against him. The case of the assassination of Floribert Chebeya and his driver continues to be followed closely, and Congolese justice is doing everything to shed light on this case