Belgian Diplomat Appeals Trial Over Lumumba Assassination
Former Belgian diplomat Etienne Davignon has appealed against a court's decision to try him for involvement in the assassination of Congo's first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, in 1961. Accused of unlawful actions leading to Lumumba’s death, Davignon is the last surviving Belgian official linked to this historical event.
Etienne Davignon, a former high-ranking Belgian diplomat, is contesting a court order mandating his trial for alleged involvement in the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Congo's inaugural prime minister, as revealed by his legal representative on Friday.
On March 17, a Belgian judiciary commanded the 93-year-old Davignon, once EU Commission Vice-President, to face justice over purported participation in Lumumba’s demise 65 years ago. While confirming the appeal, his lawyer refrained from further comments.
Prosecution contends Davignon, then a junior diplomat, unlawfully detained or facilitated Lumumba’s handover, denying him an impartial trial. Among accused Belgian officials, Davignon remains the sole living suspect as efforts continue to address Belgian colonial history’s contentious chapter.
Google News