Lawyer representing family of murdered MP lodges complaint in court

The lawyer representing the family of former MP and opposition politician, Chérubin Okende, lodged a complaint against "unknown persons" with the public prosecutor's office in Kinshasa.

The former government minister and opposition politician was found murdered last Thursday in DRC's capital.

"Mr Chérubin Okende was murdered in unimaginable circumstances and the family, after consultation with the widow, children, fathers of the deceased and his brothers and sisters, have today decided to take the case to the Congolese courts so that light can be shed on this heinous murder of the honourable Member of Parliament, Chérubin Okende", saidLaurent Onyemba, lawyer for the family of the murdered MP.

Sixty-one year old Chérubin Okende resigned from his post as Minister of Transport last December. 

He was also an executive of "Ensemble pour la République", the party of presidential candidate Moïse Katumbi.

"What matters to us is not a botched trial, what matters to us here is not judicial posturing to steer or disorientate opinion in one direction or another. So, as lawyers, we are going to take part in this activity to see that light is shed", reassured the lawyer. 

The presidential election in the DRC is scheduled for December 20th, together with elections for national and provincial and local councillors. 

President Félix Tshisekedi, who has been president since January 2019, is standing for re-election.