Congolese justice authorities arrest UDPS official after calls for violence in Kinshasa
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Umuseke
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have arrested Fils Mukoko, a UDPS official, after he called for young people to be armed to attack Europeans in Kinshasa. Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa confirmed his arrest in Lemba and said he would be brought before the justice authorities, according to Umuseke.
The justice authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have arrested Fils Mukoko, a senior official of the UDPS, the presidential party, after calls to take up arms against Europeans in Kinshasa. His arrest in the Lemba district was confirmed by Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa, who announced that he would be handed over to the justice authorities.
Fils Mukoko, deputy director of the service responsible for sanitation in the city of Kinshasa, is being prosecuted over remarks broadcast on social media. In a video, he allegedly called for weapons to be distributed in churches, universities and stadiums in order to extend the war being waged in the east of the DRC to the whole country, targeting Belgians in particular.
The Superior Council for Audiovisual and Communication, the Congolese media regulator, had already taken measures after the remarks were broadcast. The Communication Minister and government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, condemned them and said they represented neither the government nor any other public institution. The arrest comes after Fils Mukoko was suspended, announced on 21 October.
