A dozen defendants, prosecuted for the assassination of the former head of military intelligence Delphin Kahimbi, who died suddenly in February 2020, were acquitted on Monday by the Congolese justice, against the opinion of the prosecutor who had requested the death penalty, in particular against the widow.
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"
The judges acquitted today (Monday) all those prosecuted for the assassination of General Delphin Kahimbi
", told AFP Me Mulumba Tshivuadi, lawyer for Brenda Nkoy, widow of the officer and main accused in this case.
A dozen people were prosecuted in this trial opened on May 3 in Makala prison.
Among the accused were the wife and mother-in-law of the late general, a key element in the security apparatus under former President Joseph Kabila (2001-2019).
The prosecutor had requested the death penalty for assassination against Ms. Nkoy and 20 years in prison for the other defendants, said Mr. Mulumba.
The prosecutor was, however, "
unable to provide any material evidence
" to prove the widow's guilt, the lawyer said.
For Me Mulumba, “
justice has been said.
It's a relief, long live the rule of law,
”he said.
The heart attack thesis questioned
Head of military intelligence, under European Union (EU) sanction, General Delphin Kahimbi died suddenly on February 28, 2020 at the age of 50.
That day, his widow then told AFP that the officer died "
of a heart attack
" at his home.
On March 7, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said for his part that General Kahimbi had died by "
hanging
", a week after being sidelined.
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Appointed at the time of former President Joseph Kabila, Delphin Kahimbi was one of twelve Congolese officials under European sanctions for human rights abuses in the last years of the former regime (2015-2018). In the week preceding his death, he had been suspended from his functions and heard by the National Security Council (CNS), according to corroborating sources. Remained in place after the investiture of Felix Tshisekedi in January 2019, General Kahimbi was accused of having set up "
a system for listening to the authorities
", according to a military source.
