Étienne Davignon, the last surviving Belgian official linked to the case, is fighting a decision to send him to trial over the 1961 killing of Patrice Lumumba.
In simple terms, Davignon is appealing a court ruling that said he should face criminal trial in Brussels. His lawyer confirmed that they want a higher court to review the decision before anything moves forward.
Davignon is accused of being involved in the illegal transfer of Lumumba to Katanga, a breakaway region at the time. Shortly after arriving there, Lumumba was killed on January 17, 1961, in an operation involving separatist forces and Belgian support. The case also includes the deaths of Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito.
After 14 years of investigation, Belgian prosecutors consider these acts to be war crimes and inhumane treatment.
What happens next depends on the appeal:
- If the appeal succeeds, the trial may be stopped or delayed further.
- If it fails, a trial could begin around January 2027.
Before that, lawyers on all sides will meet privately to decide how the case should proceed.
This case is highly symbolic, as it deals with colonial history and long-standing demands for justice from Lumumba’s family.
Source: Africa News
