Earth Science News
AFRICA NEWS
DRC army officer receives death sentence over protest killings
DRC army officer receives death sentence over protest killings
by AFP Staff Writers
Goma, Dr Congo (AFP) Oct 2, 2023

A military court sentenced a DR Congo army officer to death and handed 10-year prison terms to three others Monday over the August killing of more than 50 protesters in the eastern city of Goma.

The defendants' lawyers have said they will appeal the decision, while two others standing trial were acquitted.

The death penalty is often handed down in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but it has not been applied for 20 years and is systematically commuted to life imprisonment.

During closing arguments on Friday, a senior public prosecutor had not requested capital punishment but life imprisonment for the main defendant, Colonel Mike Mikombe.

But the court handed Mikombe the death sentence with a charge of "murders", although charges of crimes against humanity were dropped.

The prosecutor also asked for sentences ranging between 10 and 20 years for the five other defendants.

The six soldiers had been on trial since September 5 over the deadly crackdown against a religious sect that called for demonstrations against the United Nations' presence in the region.

The crackdown saw 57 people killed, according to the latest official toll, and has led to renewed tensions in the North Kivu capital of Goma, an area plagued by violence by armed groups.

More than 140 civilians including around 30 minors were also arrested during the August 30 army operation.

- Questions -

In the aftermath, the government quickly announced the arrest of several soldiers and promised justice would be served.

But the trial did not answer all the questions about the circumstances of the killings.

Interior Minister Peter Kazadi has indicated that the elite Republican Guard intervened after the lynching of a police officer by members of the religious sect.

Witnesses -- including two army colonels but also sect members and local residents -- however say the operation began before the police officer died.

The same witnesses have also said that before the killings, negotiations between the army and the sect were progressing well, but the military then suddenly opened fire on the unarmed sect members.

The question remained whether Mikombe gave the order to shoot, and whether he was following orders or acting on his own.

He suggested in court that he had been misled by an operational order identifying the sect members as proxies of M23 rebels and the Rwandan army.

The M23 has captured swathes of territory in North Kivu province since 2021 -- one of several militias holding sway over much of the region despite the presence of peacekeepers.

Independent UN experts, the Kinshasa government and several Western nations including the United States and France accuse Rwanda of actively backing the Tutsi-led M23 -- claims that Rwanda denies.

Mikombe also called on the court to probe the military governor of North Kivu, General Constant Ndima, who was recalled to the capital Kinshasa for "consultations".

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
Mali troops redeploy towards rebel stronghold
Bamako (AFP) Oct 2, 2023
The Malian army began redeploying troops on Monday towards the northern rebel stronghold Kidal, security officials said, amid a resumption of hostilities in that region. The troop movements have triggered speculation about the start of an offensive in the Kidal region. It would come at a time when the Malian army is under threat in the north, between Gao and Timbuktu, by a resumption of hostilities from predominantly Tuareg armed groups and an increase in jihadist attacks. No Malian official ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
Fukushima sake brewer warms shattered Japanese fishing community

We could sequester CO2 by "re-greening" arid lands, plant scientists say

'Zero income' after storms ravage famed Greek apple harvest

Syrian beekeepers battle both war and climate change

AFRICA NEWS
Warming beaches threaten Yemen sea turtles' future

Climate change draws great white sharks north, threatening ecosystem

Countries pledge to raise $12 billion to help coral

New method for purifying drinking water could be used in disaster zones

AFRICA NEWS
Hoekstra: Kickboxing Dutchman spoiling for EU climate fight

Germany to host top climate talks if no east Europe candidate: UN

Dutch ex-FM defends record during EU climate post bid grilling

Politicians failing to grasp 'scientific reality' of climate: expert

AFRICA NEWS
India must rapidly scale solar to reach renewable targets: study

Toward high-efficiency thin crystalline silicon solar cells

Flexible solar cell achieves major power conversion efficiency gains

Solar panels go into service near North Pole

AFRICA NEWS
Is there more to palm oil than deforestation?

Lightning strike hits UK biogas facility

Aston University research pioneers making renewable hydrogen and propane fuel gases from glycerol

Making aviation fuel from biomass

AFRICA NEWS
Four more officials held after Libya flood disaster

'Negligent' Iraq officials sacked for wedding fire

Senegal navy intercepts more than 600 migrants in three days

Libya flood relief hampered by 'turf wars' and division

AFRICA NEWS
Quake-hit locals relieved Europe's biggest gas plant to close

Netherlands halts extraction from Europe's biggest gas field

Climate goal reliant on massive new private sector investment: IMF

IEA, ECB urge Europe to move faster on energy transition

AFRICA NEWS
China's gateway to North Korea waits in vain for border opening

China's Evergrande closes up 28% in Hong Kong after trade resumes

Markets fall on rate concerns

Italy court condemns Uber Eats over 4,000 layoffs

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.