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Congolese Journalist Shot Dead in Front of Home

09 April 2010 09:07 (UTC +04:00)

Baku - APA. A Congolese journalist was shot dead by men in military fatigues, in front of his home in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo town of Beni, on Monday, according to two Congolese journalists who knew him well, APA reports. NicodÃ¨me Bakoleta, the director of Radio Soleil, a new radio station in Beni, said well-known cameraman Patient Chibeya â€“ who worked for Radio Television Nationale Congolaise (RTVN) â€“ had just got off a motorcycle taxi in front of his home when he was approached by as many as seven armed men in military fatigues, at around 10:00 pm. Bakoleta said Chibeya handed over his mobile phone and some money in the hopes that the men would then leave, but they shot him four times. Chibeya was hit by six bullets.
Muhinda Wema Kennedy, another Congolese journalist who knew Chibeya very well: â€œIt must have been pre-meditated. His wife tried to intervene, but they said they had come to get him.â€Kennedy said it was possible Chibeya â€“ who often filmed official events â€“ possessed footage that might have been â€œdamagingâ€ to someone. â€œThings are getting worse in this region,â€ Kennedy said. â€œThere are assassins here; they are willing to kill someone for 10 dollars.â€Kennedy noted that about a month ago another Congolese journalist was threatened, and is now lining under 24-hour army protection. Bakoleta of Radio Soleil, who was at Chibeyaâ€™s funeral when he spoke, said the authorities had arrested two â€œsuspectsâ€ in the murder, but that witnesses didnâ€™t believe they were involved. Echoing Kennedy, he said: â€œIt was pre-meditated. They were waiting for him.â€He added: â€œWe are very concerned. Just a few days ago, some soldiers beat another journalist with batons. They wanted to kill him. And a month ago, armed men were waiting for another reporter. He now has army protection. We are concerned at this climate of hostilityâ€IPI Director David Dadge said: â€œIt is crucial that the authorities fully investigate this killing, as well as all other attacks and threats against journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All of those responsible must be brought to justice. The murderers of journalists must not be given the impression that they can continue to act with impunity.â€A five-year civil conflict in the Congo, in which government forces, backed by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, fought against rebels supported by Uganda and Rwanda ended with a peace deal and the formation of a transitional government in 2003. However, in the east of the country fear of militias and the army runs deep.