Belgian Court Approves Trial Over Former PM Lumumba Killing
Last update: March 17, 2026
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Former diplomat to face charges tied to Congo independence era assassination.
A Belgian court has ruled that a former diplomat can stand trial over the 1961 killing of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first prime minister.
Etienne Davignon, now 93, is accused of involvement in Lumumba’s unlawful detention, transfer and mistreatment. He is the only surviving Belgian among 10 individuals named in a case filed by Lumumba’s family in 2011.
Lumumba, a leading figure in Africa’s anti-colonial movement, was executed by firing squad and his body was later dissolved in acid. Belgium has since acknowledged its role and issued an apology to his family and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
CBI News reports that Lumumba became prime minister after independence in 1960 but was removed in a coup months later and captured. He was killed in January 1961 with the backing of Belgian-aligned forces.
The case marks a significant step in addressing Belgium’s colonial past, though the ruling can still be appealed.
