–Kinshasa, DRC
The Supreme Military Court sentenced Colonel Jean de Dieu Mambweni to death for his role in the 2017 murder of two United Nations experts. All 54 defendants received the same verdict in the final ruling issued on Monday.
American Michael Sharp and Swedish-Chilean Zaida Catalán were investigating mass killings in the Kasai Central region when they were intercepted, accused of treason, and executed after falling into a trap. The court determined that Colonel Mambweni, the highest-ranking officer in the area at the time, played a key role in planning the ambush.
This verdict overturns Mambweni’s previous 2022 conviction and ten-year prison sentence for disobedience. The prosecution successfully appealed, convincing the judges of his direct involvement in the conspiracy that led to the experts’ deaths.
While the decision formally ends a long-running case, critics say justice has not yet been fully served. Human rights organizations and victims' families point out that high-ranking officials suspected of planning the killings were never prosecuted and are demanding further investigations.
Since 2003, the Congo has maintained a moratorium on the death penalty, meaning that sentences are likely to result in life imprisonment rather than execution. The ruling, however, retains significant symbolic weight regarding accountability for attacks against UN personnel.