Count Étienne Davignon, the last surviving Belgian official implicated in the Patrice Lumumba case, is contesting his referral to the Brussels criminal court. His lawyer confirmed the appeal against a March 17 ruling that could eventually lead to trial.
Davignon, then a trainee diplomat in 1961, is suspected of involvement in Lumumba’s illegal transfer to Katanga, where the Congolese leader was assassinated with the help of Belgian mercenaries. The case, also tied to the deaths of Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito, has been classified as war crimes and inhuman treatment after 14 years of investigation.
If the appeal fails, a trial could begin as early as January 2027. Lawyers from all sides will soon meet behind closed doors to decide how the procedure will move forward.
