An attorney representing the family of the late Congolese opposition figure Cherubin Okende announced on Tuesday that they are seeking answers regarding his July assassination, as an official investigation has not yielded any results yet.
Laurent Onyemba, the legal counsel, informed reporters after a meeting with Interior Minister Peter Kazadi in Kinshasa, the capital, that “this affair has dragged on for a long time”.
“We want to know who killed Cherubin, why commit such a heinous act?,” said Onyemba.
On July 13th, Congolese Member of Parliament Cherubin Okende was discovered deceased in his car on a major street in Kinshasa, bearing gunshot wounds.
The former minister of transport had previously held a position in President Felix Tshisekedi’s administration before stepping down and affiliating with the opposition party led by Moise Katumbi.
At the time of his death, Okende was fulfilling the role of spokesperson for Katumbi’s political party.
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) denounced the assassination and declared an inquiry into the matter. However, no public information regarding the investigation has been disclosed since July 19th.
A public prosecutor has revealed that numerous individuals, including police officers and experts in cybercrime and telecommunications, have been summoned to aid in the ongoing investigation.
The results of the official autopsy have not been released, however.
A well-known Congolese journalist employed by Jeune Afrique magazine was detained earlier this month following the publication of an article that implied the involvement of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s military intelligence agency in the assassination.
The Congolese government has denied the allegation.
Attorney Onyemba stated that after the meeting with the interior minister, Okende’s family members departed with a sense of cautious optimism, as they were given assurances that the government was determined to uncover the truth behind the assassination.
He also anticipated progress in the investigation to unfold “within two weeks.”
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has scheduled parliamentary and presidential elections for December 20th. President Tshisekedi has confirmed his candidacy in the upcoming elections.
