Following the sudden and unexplained death of Lieutenant General Sikatenda Shabani, who died in detention under unclear circumstances, the international community and human rights organizations have called on the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to launch a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation.
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In a statement released by the United Nations through its Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), strong language was used: “Detaining a person for over a year without trial, only for them to die in custody, reveals a serious issue in the justice system. The DRC government has an obligation to explain what happened and to deliver justice to the bereaved.”
Amnesty International also described the incident as a reflection of a regime that continues to suppress freedom.
Amnesty International, which monitors human rights conditions in Central Africa, issued a statement saying: “Sikatenda’s death is not the first. It is part of a broader campaign to silence dissenters. The government must explain the unlawful detention of this military officer and how he ended up dying in their custody.”
The organization called for an investigation that is separate from government bodies, one that is independent and capable of identifying individuals or institutions involved in his death.
On another front, the African Union (AU) also expressed concern over what appears to be a growing trend by the DRC government to silence former security officials who no longer enjoy the trust of the current leadership.
In a message from the AU’s special envoy to Congo, condolences were extended to Sikatenda’s family, along with a call for “a long-term commitment to protecting the rights of all individuals, especially those who previously served in government institutions.”
In various cities, including Lubumbashi, Goma, and Bukavu, the public has expressed deep sorrow and demanded that the death of Gen. Sikatenda not be turned into “just another unanswered political headline.”
Some held peaceful protests calling for justice, while others laid flowers at the gates of the detention center where he died, referring to him as “a forgotten hero.”
So far, President Félix Tshisekedi’s office has not issued any official statement regarding Gen. Sikatenda’s death.
However, some politicians close to the government have begun claiming that “the government had no involvement in his death,” a stance opposition voices are dismissing as “an early attempt to bury the truth.”
