A mobile court hearing continued on Monday in the capital Kinshasa in efforts to identify the persons responsible for attacking the residence of former President Joseph Kabila.
It has emerged that among the perpetrators included a 2 months old baby accused along side 65 others that have been in pre-trial detention.
The Kinshasa Gombe High Court, sitting in flagrante delicto continues with the identification of the defendants before explaining the facts of which they are accused.
Only 22 individuals were identified out of the 65 at last Friday’s hearing.
The court had thus ordered the preventive detention of all defendants suspected of having committed acts of violence, looting, an attempted forced eviction and attacking the residence of former President Joseph Kabila.
Among those arrested at the place where the offence was committed, 16 women and children were released on Friday evening, at the end of the first hearing in this case.
This was not enough to count the irregularities on the side of the defence.
“The prosecutor’s requisition to arrest our clients was poorly executed. There are even women, children including a two-month-old baby. What is the link with the facts attributed to his father? Another thing, all the property in the house was looted by the police, the rule of law does not encourage that,” said Joel Kitenge, defence lawyer.
Ngandu Wa Ngandu Kennedy, identified as one of the leaders of the “Force du Progrès” association, affiliated with the ruling UDPS political party, is considered to be the leader of these actions. The public hearing began at the “Place des Evolués”, only two days after the events attributed to the defendants.
Last Thursday, the Congolese National Police (PNC) dismantled a base of the organization “Force du Progrès” in the Manenga district, commune of Ngaliema.
During the operation, 137 people were arrested, including Ngandu Wa Ngandu Kennedy.
The police seized a hundred machetes and a drone in poor condition, and also closed a clandestine dungeon used by members of this gang.
