Henry Magie Walifetu, a staunch aide to former Congolese President Joseph Kabila has surrendered to the Kinshasa regime.
His surrender was communicated by himself in tears through a video message following a 5-hour ultimatum issued by state ANR Intelligence agency.
In the video clip he states that his wife and children were kidnapped by unknown individuals and that a five-hour ultimatum was imposed on him to announce his intention to surrender to justice in Kinshasa.
Magie also says he is making this painful decision as a father, in order to preserve the lives of his children, after years of sacrifices tied to his political commitment and his exile.
Security services reportedly gave Magie a five-hour ultimatum to record a video confirming his surrender.
In May 2020, Magie was arrested by security forces and subsequently sentenced to two years in the Makala Central Prison for “outrage to the Head of State” after making highly critical public statements against President Félix Tshisekedi. He was released in May 2022.
Following his release he left Kinshasa and joined the armed political opposition.
Later Magie became a high-profile cadre of the FRN (Front Révolutionnaire National) and aligned himself with AFC (Alliance Fleuve Congo), a politico-military movement closely linked with the M23 rebellion operating in the eastern DRC.
