Congo-B: verdict on appeal in the case of young people killed in Chacona postponed to July 7

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Congolese justice has still returned, yesterday Tuesday, the verdict of the judgment on appeal of the case of 13 young Congolese found dead in the police station of Chacona, in July 2018. The new date has been set for July 7. A dismissal that angered parents and even lawyers. At first instance, a little more than a year ago, the Court which had tried this case and sentenced six police officers to various penalties for "manslaughter" declared that it had no jurisdiction to rule on the compensation of civil parties. 

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With our correspondent in Brazzaville, Loïcia Martial

The room where the hearing took place remained somewhat sparse. The court of appeal explained the reduction of the deliberation and its postponement to July 7 to allow it to recompose because one of its members died a few days ago. Despite this explanation, the parents remained angry.

"  It's been almost two years that (lasts) ... It's not normal. We are still in a country of law! I am not satisfied at all,  ”indignant one. "  We do not know what to say about the way things are going at the level of justice in the Republic of Congo  ", denounces another.

Me Steve Bagne, lawyer of the beneficiaries, underlines that the final judgment has dragged on too much. “  We are (really) faced with a judicial slowness. The case has been pending before the Court of Appeal for over a year. Contrary to what the law says - which stipulates that it is in a period of three months after the first instance that the court of appeal must decide - we waited from June 2019 to June 2020, it's been a year since! It's still annoying!  "

Maitre Bagne and his colleagues, organizations like the Congolese Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) say they are ready to take the case to international courts, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in particular, if Congolese justice fails to grant compensation to the parents of the 13 young people who died in the Chacona Police Station.

► Read also : In Congo, relatives of the victims of the Chacona case are still demanding justice

After the drama of Chacona the government had granted 2 million FCFA per family for the burial of the victims. The lawyers claim 500 million FCFA (762,000 euros) in compensation per family. And in March 2019, justice sentenced to various penalties six police officers tried in particular for manslaughter in the case of the thirteen young people found dead in July 2018 in the Chacona police station in Brazzaville.

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• Congo Brazzaville
• Justice