DRC: NGO Demands Reopening of Chebeya-Bazana Trial After Military Justice Reforms

Sixteen years after the double assassination of human rights defenders Floribert Chebeya and Fidèle Bazana, the NGO Voix des sans voix (VSV) is demanding the trial be reopened. At a press conference in Kinshasa on June 1, 2026, the organization stated that recent legislative reforms in military justice have removed obstacles that previously blocked prosecution of high-ranking officials implicated in the case, including General John Numbi.

The 16th anniversary of the tragic disappearance of Chebeya and Bazana prompted VSV to speak out. The human rights group believes the current legal context is highly favorable for restarting judicial proceedings and ending "impunity." VSV's executive director, Rostin Manketa, highlighted the reforms in military justice, particularly Ordinance-Law No. 26/003 of January 31, 2026, which amended the Military Judicial Code in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This reform allows lower-ranking magistrates to judge superior-ranking defendants within the same category, with the First President of the High Military Court able to appoint judges of a lower rank if necessary.

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This reform now authorizes the designation of lower-ranking magistrates to judge defendants of a higher rank within the same category. Thus, in the absence of judges of the required rank, the First President of the High Military Court can designate judges of a lower rank.

According to VSV, this legislative advancement removes the primary barrier that "protected" General John Numbi, former inspector general of the Congolese National Police and the prime suspect. The NGO insists that Numbi's absence, as he is currently a fugitive, should no longer halt the proceedings, arguing that a "fair and equitable trial can and must be organized, even in absentia." The organization also advocates for other defendants, such as General Zelwa Katanga, known as "Djadjidja," and his associates, who have been detained without trial for an extended period, to have their responsibility in the "ignoble assassination" definitively determined.

Furthermore, VSV is alerting the public to the vulnerable situation of Colonel Paul Mwilambwe. Considered the key witness for revealing crucial details about the activists' execution, the officer is currently in Kinshasa without any protection after being dismissed from his post in Boma (Kongo-Central). The NGO fears for his safety, emphasizing that his revelations are indispensable for uncovering the truth.

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a fair and equitable trial can and must be organized, even in absentia.