Kamuina Nsapu affair: SCED demands prosecution of 'real masterminds'

The Congolese Society for the Rule of Law (SCED) is calling for the reopening of cases related to the Kamuina Nsapu conflict to ensure victims receive reparations and that those truly responsible are held accountable. In a statement released Tuesday, June 9, the SCED asserted that only the executors of the violence have been judged, while the actual instigators have not been identified by the justice system.

SCED's director, Dominique Kambalam, stated that the individuals recently convicted are merely "small executors." He believes that "high-profile personalities" implicated in the double murder of UN experts Zaïda Catalan and Michael Sharpe in March 2017 should face justice. The experts were investigating the violence during the Kamuina Nsapu conflict at the time of their deaths. Kambalam emphasized that investigations must continue, particularly within the Ministry of Justice, to uncover the full extent of responsibility.

Furthermore, the SCED has criticized the High Military Court's recent verdict, which included the death penalty. The organization contends that numerous cases involving crimes committed against Congolese citizens during the Kamuina Nsapu conflict have not been properly investigated. Specific examples cited include the incidents at Mulombodi, Nganza, and Tshisuku, where elements of the Congolese security forces are accused of using disproportionate force and firing indiscriminately at unarmed civilians.

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Those who have just been convicted, we believe they are small executors. High-profile personalities involved in this affair should answer for their responsibilities. Investigations must continue at the Ministry of Justice.