SENEGAL WITNESS UNDER THREAT IN A HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER MURDER CASE Paul Mwilambwe Context Ongoing proceedings against Paul Mwilambwe for the alleged murder of Floribert Chebeya on 2 June 2010 in Kinshasa and the disappearance of his associate Fidèle Bazana Suspect Major in the Congo National Police (Police Nationale Congolaise – PNC) Country of residence of suspect Senegal Charges Enforced disappearances and murder of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya and his associate Fidèle Bazana Developments in 2018 The investigation is still ongoing in Senegal. New evidence submitted by the civil parties is being examined by the investigative judge. Current status Under investigation Facts Floribert Chebeya was found dead in his car in Kinshasa on 2 June 2010. His associate, Fidèle Bazana, was reported missing. The night before, they had both gone to the PNC headquarters, which was the last time they were both seen alive. Procedure On 2 June 2014, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and families of the victims filed a criminal complaint as civil parties before Senegalese courts. The plaintiffs testified before the judge investigating the case in August 2014. Paul Mwilambwe was indicted on 8 January 2015 and placed under judicial supervision. In June 2015, Guylain Bazana, the son of Fidèle Bazana, was auditioned by the investigative judge as a civil party. Parallel proceedings were launched in DRC at the time of the events. Five PNC officers were convicted, four of whom were sentenced to death and the fifth to life imprisonment. In 2015, the Kinshasa military High Court acquitted on appeal the four defendants sentenced to death and reduced the life sentence of the fifth defendant to 15 years in prison. High-level suspects including Paul Mwilambwe were not targeted by these proceedings. In April 2017, lawyers representing the civil parties in the Senegalese investigation filed a brief with the investigative judge in Senegal requesting that several pieces of evidence from the DRC proceedings be added to the case file. Read more about the case 59