Kinshasa: Those who tried to overthrow Tshisekedi’s government are once again called upon to be killed

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prosecutor has asked the Kinshasa Court of Appeals to uphold the death sentences of 37 people convicted of involvement in the attempted overthrow of President Félix Tshisekedi.

The attempted overthrow took place on May 19, 2024, led by Christian Malanga, a DRC and US citizen, who was killed at the presidential palace in Kinshasa.

In the first trial, 51 people were tried for their involvement in the operation, but a military court on September 13, 2024 acquitted 14 of them.

The 37 people convicted of attempting to overthrow Tshisekedi, including foreigners, have appealed, asking the court to acquit them. Belgian-Congolese Jean-Jacques Wondo, who is a Belgian citizen, denied any involvement in the operation.

Prosecutor Col Parfait Mbutamutu Awirande, on January 10, 2025, asked the Court of Appeal to uphold the trial court’s decision to uphold the death sentence.

Regarding Wondo, a former reform advisor to the DRC intelligence service, Col Mbutamutu, told the court that although the defendant was not among those who tried to remove Tshisekedi from power, he was a key player in the operation because he allegedly worked with Malanga.

Wondo was revealed to have been framed

Belgian television RTBF revealed in December 2024 that Wondo’s arrest was the result of a plot by members of the DRC intelligence service, who were hostile to him because of the changes he wanted to bring about.

In the first case, the prosecution explained to the court that a receptionist at Wondo’s hotel, Malusha, told it that Wondo was already working closely with Malanga.

During the trial, the prosecution did not take Malusha to court to give the judges this testimony, but explained that he had disappeared.

On December 10, 2024, Wondo’s lawyers took Malusha to court, explaining that he had not disappeared as the prosecution had said, but was instead being held in prison.

Malusha told the appeals chamber that prosecutors had been harassing him for months to make him agree to lie against Wondo. His testimony revealed a truth that the prosecution did not want to reveal.

Belgium is one of the countries that condemned Wondo’s conviction, indicating that it will continue to closely monitor the case.