Former General John Numbi officially charged with the killing of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and his driver
On 14 April 2021, former General John Numbi was officially charged with the murder of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and his driver Fidèle Bazana Edadi by the High Military Court, 11 years after the murder was committed. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Fidèle Bazana Edadi disappeared on 1 June 2010, after complying with a summons order to meet John Numbi at the police headquarters in Kinshasa. The following day, 2 June 2010, the human rights defender’s body was found in his car on the outskirts of Kinshasa. The body of Fidèle Bazana was never found.
According to police sources, the body of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was found in the back of his car on the morning of 2 June 2010 in the outskirts of Kinshasa, after his disappearance had been reported on the evening of 1 June 2010. His driver, Mr Fidèle Bazana Edadi, also a member of the association La Voix des Sans-Voix - VSV (The Voice of the Voiceless), disappeared and according to certain sources, his body was found on 3 June 2010.
Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was a human rights defender and the executive director of La Voix des Sans-Voix – VSV (The Voice of the Voiceless). He was also the executive secretary of the Réseau national des ONG des droits de l’Homme de la RDC – RENADHOC (National Network of Human Rights NGOs of the DRC), based in Kinshasa.
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- 29 April 2021 : Former General John Numbi officially charged with the killing of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and his driver
- 10 November 2010 : Trial for the murder of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire will begin on 12 November
- 3 June 2010 : Presumed assassination of human rights defender Mr Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, executive director of “La Voix des Sans-Voix”
On 14 April 2021, former General John Numbi was officially charged with the murder of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and his driver Fidèle Bazana Edadi by the High Military Court, 11 years after the murder was committed. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Fidèle Bazana Edadi disappeared on 1 June 2010, after complying with a summons order to meet John Numbi at the police headquarters in Kinshasa. The following day, 2 June 2010, the human rights defender’s body was found in his car on the outskirts of Kinshasa. The body of Fidèle Bazana was never found.
Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was a human rights defender and the executive director of La Voix des Sans-Voix – VSV (The Voice of the Voiceless). He was also the executive secretary of the Réseau national des ONG des droits de l’Homme de la RDC – RENADHOC (National Network of Human Rights NGOs of the DRC), based in Kinshasa. Fidèle Bazana Edadi was also a member of VSV.
On 14 April 2021, the High Military Court charged General John Numbi with "association with criminals" and "assassination of Floribert Chebeya and his driver Fidèle Bazana". Before being officially charged, the former three-star General and Police Chief fled the country and his whereabouts are not known. According to a document signed by the auditor general at the High Military Court, Likulia Bakumi Lucien René, “in the event of discovery” of John Numbi, all branches of the security services are required to "apprehend him and bring him under good escort to their office at the General Auditor at the High Military Court.”
Prior to April 2021, the High Military Court had refused to examine the possible involvement of John Numbi in the murder of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Fidèle Bazana Edadi, despite indications from other suspects in the case that he had instigated the assassination. On 5 June 2010, John Numbi was suspended from his duties as a precaution and placed under house arrest for investigation purposes. He appeared before the judge during the trial to provide information on the case, but was not formally tried.
On 28 October 2010, a military magistrate (Auditorat General des Forces Armees) announced the conclusion of an investigation into the murder of the human rights defender and his driver. On 10 November 2010, it was announced that the trial for the case was due to begin two days later, on 12 November, at the Military Court of Kinshasa-Gombe. Eight police officers were tried for involvement in the murders before the Military Court. On 23 June 2011, the Military Court convicted five of the eight officers, sentencing four to death and one to life imprisonment and acquitting the other three officers.
While Front Line Defenders welcomes the charges brought against John Numbi as one of the intellectual authors of the killings of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Fidèle Bazana Edadi it regrets that the process took 11 years, during which time John Numbi had opportunity to flee the country. Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in the DRC to invest all necessary resources to ascertain the whereabouts of John Numbi with a view to returning him to the DRC to face trial for the killings.
On 28 October 2010 a military magistrate (Auditorat General des Forces Armees) announced that an investigation into the murder of human rights defenders Mr Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Mr Fidele Bazana Edadi had concluded. It was announced on 10 November, that the trial is due to begin on 12 November 2010 at 9:00am at the Military Court of Kinshasa-Gombe. Eight police officers, including national police special investigations section chief, Colonel Daniel Mukalay go on trial on kidnap and murder charges.
The magistrate announced that a file has been sent to the military court where the trial is due to take place. The decision to hold the trial in a military court in its current composition has caused great concern among civil society organisations. This concern stems from the fact that the court in question does not have jurisdiction to try Police Chief John Numbi, who elements indicated could be behind the murder, as the sitting judges do not have a military rank equivalent to that of Mr Numbi.
Civil society organisations, including VSV, reiterated calls made previously, to nominate two military magistrates of the same military rank as John Numbi, so that the latter could be tried by the Military Court. They also called for the trial to be broadcast live on the Congolese Nation Radio Television (RTNC).
Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was the executive director of La Voix des Sans-Voix – VSV (The Voice of the Voiceless) and the executive secretary of the Réseau national des ONG des droits de l’Homme de la RDC – RENADHOC (National Network of Human Rights NGOs of the DRC), based in Kinshasa. Mr Fidèle Bazana Edadi was also a member of VSV. Both men disappeared on 1 June 2010 after going to the police headquarters, upon police request, to meet John Numbi. Mr Chebeya Bahizire's body was found in his car on the outskirts of Kinshasa on 2 June 2010. The body of Mr Bazana Edadi was never found. Front Line fears that the military court is incompetent to hear this case considering that it does not have jurisdiction over one of the alleged main suspect. Front Line is concerned that the right to justice for the victims will be denied if this trial is to go ahead before a military court.
Front Line is extremely concerned following the presumed assassination of human rights defender Mr Floribert Chebaya Bahizire. According to police sources, the body of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was found in the back of his car on the morning of 2 June 2010 in the outskirts of Kinshasa, after his disappearance had been reported on the evening of 1 June 2010. His driver, Mr Fidèle Bazana Edadi, also a member of the association La Voix des Sans-Voix - VSV (The Voice of the Voiceless), disappeared and according to certain sources, his body was found on 3 June 2010.
Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was the executive director of the VSV and the executive secretary of the Réseau national des ONG des droits de l’Homme de la RDC – RENADHOC (National Network of Human Rights NGOs of the DRC), based in Kinshasa. An eminent human rights defender subjected to repeated threats over many years, Floribert Chebeya Bahizire had participated in the first Dublin Platform for human rights defenders in January 2002.
On the afternoon of Tuesday 1 June 2010, Floribert Chebeya Bahizire received a call from the central police headquarters, requiring him to attend a meeting with the Inspector General of the Congolese National Police, Mr John Numbi Banza Tambo. No reason was given for the meeting. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire was not able to meet the inspector, and just before 8pm he informed his family by SMS that he was returning to the city.
His body was found the following morning, Wednesday 2 June, in his abandoned car in the outskirts of Kinshasa. According to police sources, his body showed no signs of violence. However, the deputy executive director of VSV was not allowed to view the body on 2 June. Fidèle Bazana Edadi, who disappeared on 1 June at the same time as Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, has disappeared and, according to information received, his body was found on Thursday 3 June, which would confirm that both human rights defenders were assassinated.
Front Line believes that the presumed assassination of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and the disappearance of Fidèle Bazana Edadi are a direct result of their legitimate work in defence of human rights in the DRC. Front Line is also gravely concerned for the security of the families of said defenders and other members of the VSV, considering the climate which has become extremely dangerous for human rights defenders in the DRC.
