A local court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced the guilty verdict of a Congolese colonel for murder and other crimes related to the killing of 56 individuals during an army crackdown on anti-U.N. demonstrations in Goma. Colonel Mike Mikombe, who served as the head of the Republican Guard unit in Goma, has been sentenced to death; however, it is important to note that the death penalty is no longer practiced in Congo, and sentences are usually commuted to life imprisonment. His attorney, Serge Lukanga, has stated that he intends to appeal this decision.
Among the six soldiers who stood trial, three were sentenced to 10 years of servitude, while Mikombe’s deputy and another soldier were acquitted.
Since last year, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo, named MONUSCO, has faced widespread protests. These protests have been fueled, in part, by complaints regarding the mission’s failure to protect civilians against decades of militia violence.
In July 2022, an anti-MONUSCO demonstration took place, resulting in over 15 fatalities, including three peacekeepers in Goma and the city of Butembo.
Arlette Bashizi reported this news while Sonia Rolley authored the written report. Edward McAllister and Christian Schmollinger were responsible for editing.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
