KINSHASA - A verdict in the trial in a Congolese court of the alleged terrorists accused of assassinating the Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio almost two years ago is expected next week, judicial sources say. However claims by the suspects that they were tortured to confess could lead to a mistrial being declared, the sources say, though Italian diplomats are sceptical about the claims.

Among the six accused, all members of the group named "Aspirant commando," only five have been brought to court as the chief of the group, Amos Mutaka Kiduhaye, is still on the run. From the testimony of the five, it emerged that the trigger man allegedly who fired the Kalashnikov killing Attanasio and his Carabineire escort, Vittorio Iacovacci and the driver Mustapha Milambo, was Marco Prince Nshimimara. But this information seems to have been extorted from them through the mean of torture. 

 According to Italian foreign ministry sources, quoted by Fatto Quotidiano newsaper, the demeanour of the suspects during the trial does not indicate that they are under duress.

Another of the accused, Bahati Kibobo said he have no connection with the Feb. 22, 2021 murder, as it happened on the same morning of his release from prison.

As proof the defense presented a prison certificate to the Tribunal of Kinshasa. The prosecuting attorney, Rocco Curcio, suspected the document to be false and requested the Tribunal to check it. But the Tribunal instead of directly requesting it from the prison of Goma in which Kibobo stayed, delegated the analysis of the document to the Tribunal of Goma. Anyhow this last Tribunal confirmed the suspects of the prosecuting attorney, stating that Kibobo wasn’t released on Feb. 22, but a month prior on Jan.22. 

Lastly, as the Farnesina and Attanasio’s family filed for civil action they should have received all of the defense’s documentation, for a hypothetical referral of trial. Despite the many requests raised by Rocco Curcio, such documentation never arrived. This indisposition by the Tribunal of Kinshasa is still perceived as a stonewalling on the Congolese side, by the Italian counterparts.

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