The DRC military has court martialed two Colonels for failing to prevent the fall of Bunagana town in Rutshuru territory to battle hardened M23 rebels.
According to details, the officers Colonels Désiré Lobo and Jean-Marie Diadia wa Diadia are commanders of the 3,412 and 3,307th regiments respectively.
They are charged with four counts: flight from the enemy, abandonment of weapons and ammunition, violation of instructions and embezzlement of public funds.
The defendants were in charge of military operations at the time of the fall of the city of Bunagana into the hands of the M23 in July. They were fighting against the M23 in the region of Tchengerero and Bunagana.
The prosecutor at the military court accuses them of having caused the fall of Bunagana, by abandoning weapons, ammunition but also by leaving certain army vehicles in the hands of the M23.
It should be noted that these two officers have been in detention since July. First at Munzenze prison and then at the military prosecutor’s office in Goma.
The next hearing is scheduled for October 19 and will be devoted to the investigation of the case.
