The assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, a Congolese thriller (3/4): "The culprits at all costs"

Audio 25:48

Episode 3: "Culprits at all costs" © RFI

By: Arnaud Zajtman Follow |

Esdras Ndikumana Follow |

Simon Decreuze Follow |

Nicolas benita

29 min

This episode examines how the regime of Joseph Kabila, successor to his father who was assassinated on January 16, 2001, decided to turn a blind eye to the massive convictions, to the point of making it a taboo issue. 

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Some convicts will manage to escape.

From their exile, they tell how they managed to conquer their freedom. 

In their attempt to shed light on the assassination, Arnaud Zajtman and Esdras Ndikumana also examine the various possible motives of the crime and of those accused of being linked to it: is it this monopoly on the diamond that Mzee Kabila attributed to an Israeli businessman and who angered the Lebanese community?

Is it this killing by the Kabila clan of General Anselme Masasu, this former traveling companion who had recruited Laurent-Désiré Kabila's own bodyguards? 

For easier sharing, this podcast has been uploaded in a lightweight mono version.

You can also listen to

a high quality stereo version here

.

About the podcast "

The assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, a Congolese thriller

 " 

:

On January 16, 2001, Congolese President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, the killer of Marshal Mobutu, was killed in his office in Kinshasa by one of his bodyguards.

The assassin is shot as he runs out of the office.

85 people were sentenced, some to death, others to heavy prison terms.

Twenty years after the events, on Friday January 8, 2021, the last 23 prisoners sentenced in this case were finally released.

But were they really to blame?

Who are the real sponsors of the assassination of the Congolese President?

Why on the evening of the assassination, were eleven Lebanese nationals in turn executed in the Congolese capital?

In an original podcast by 

Arnaud Zajtman

 and 

Esdras Ndikumana

, RFI offers a major investigation in four episodes with key testimonies and rare audio archives. 

Episode 1: " 

The End of Kabila 

"

Episode 2: " 

Attempt at Justice

 "

Episode 3: " 

Culprits at All Costs 

" (available January 20)

Episode 4: " 

Who did it?

 »(Available January 22)

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Director: 

Nicolas Benita

 and 

Simon Decreuze

.

With the participation of the RFI sound library.

The authors dedicate this podcast to their colleague

Ghislaine Dupont

, an RFI journalist murdered alongside Claude Verlon in North Mali in 2013, who has greatly contributed to breaking the silence surrounding the 85 convicted of this criminal case.

This podcast contains excerpts from the films “Murder in Kinshasa.

Who killed Laurent-Désiré Kabila?

", A documentary by Marlène Rabaud and Arnaud Zajtman, produced by Entre Chien et Loup, ICTV Solferino, with the support of the FWB, RTBF, WIP and France Télévisions, as well as excerpts from" Adieu l'Enfer " , by M. Rabaud and A. Zajtman, produced by Esprit libre Production, with Arte Reportage.

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The assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila: a Congolese thriller

The assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, a Congolese thriller (1/4): "The end of Kabila"

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The assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, a Congolese thriller (2/4): "Attempt at justice"

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DRC: "The assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila: a Congolese thriller", RFI's new podcast