In the DRC, the bodyguard of Chérubin Okende, an opponent found dead in mid-July in Kinshasa in his vehicle, is still in prison, nine months later, while the courts concluded that the former minister committed suicide. “ In terms of rights, I see that the file is empty, my client is innocent », Reaffirms Maître Jules Bongombé, lawyer for Nico Kabund, who takes stock of the proceedings against his client.
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In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 9 months after the death of Chérubin Okende, his bodyguard is still in prison, even though the courts concluded that the opponent committed suicide.
As a reminder, the body of this former minister was found in mid-July 2023 in his vehicle. His driver – arrested – was released a few months later. But his bodyguard, Nico Kabund, is still detained in Makala central prison, initially suspected of murder. According to his lawyer, Maître Jules Bongombé, his client’s file was transferred to the military prosecutor’s office and Nico Kabund is now being prosecuted for violating the instructions: ” Since April 5, the civil prosecutor’s office, after having closed the assassination file without further action, because Mr. Chérubin had killed himself, they transferred my client as a police officer to its competent jurisdiction which is the military prosecutor’s office, the Kinshasa-Gombe garrison, for the offense of violation of instructions. »
Read alsoDRC: investigation into the death of Chérubin Okende concludes it was suicide
“ The weapon that caused death, according to them, belonged to my client »
Maître Jules Bongombé continues, at the microphone ofAlexandra Brangeon : “ The weapon that caused the death, according to them, belonged to my client. According to them, the police officer had to keep his weapon, he should not leave it in the car. So, he must go and justify himself before the military courts. »
The lawyer concludes: “ For me, these are not the right rights because, the prosecution, whether for the military or for civilians, it is always the public prosecutor who pursued them. When they closed the files, they said that my client is not remotely or closely related to the death of the ex-minister. We had to free him because we had freed the driver and why not him? It was not he who caused death. In terms of rights, I see that the file is empty, my client is innocent. »
Read alsoDRC: “There are new elements”, according to a lawyer for the family of opponent Chérubin Okende