(JED/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a JED press release: Journalist and his wife assassinated in Kinshasa Kinshasa, 3 November 2005 JED condemns the assassination of journalist Franck Ngyke Kangundu and his wife Hélène Mpaka. Ngyke, 52, a political columnist for the Kinshasa-based daily “La Référence Plus”, and his wife were killed […]
(JED/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a JED press release:
Journalist and his wife assassinated in Kinshasa
Kinshasa, 3 November 2005
JED condemns the assassination of journalist Franck Ngyke Kangundu and his wife Hélène Mpaka. Ngyke, 52, a political columnist for the Kinshasa-based daily “La Référence Plus”, and his wife were killed on 3 November 2005 at 1:00 a.m. (local time).
According to eyewitness accounts, Ngyke was shot at point blank range in the chest by three masked men in civilian clothes who were waiting for him at his residence. The journalist was returning home from his Kinshasa/Kasa-Vubu newsroom, where his wife had gone to join him. Just as Ngyke was reportedly closing the front door of his home, after parking his car, his attackers surged towards him, shot at the doorway twice and forced their way into his home. They first shot the journalist’s wife as she was trying to run away. Ngyke then pleaded with them to spare his life and take his money and car. His assailants reportedly told him that they had been sent to kill him. They then shot him and made off with the victims’ cellular phones.
One of the journalist’s sons, Djoudjou Kangundu, 23, was shot in the shoulder as he tried to save his father’s life. He is currently in hospital. After the shooting, one of the journalist’s nephews ran to the nearest police station seeking help. The officers present told him that they were unable to contact emergency services as they did not have sufficient credit in their cellular phones to place the call.
JED rejects the hypothesis that this was simply a botched robbery attempt and notes that the journalist’s attackers did not steal any valuables and even refused his offer to take his money and his vehicle;
JED asks the government to launch an immediate investigation in order to find the killers and the people who hired them, and to determine the motive for the killing.
Tshivis Tshivuadi
Secretary General
D. M’Baya Tshimanga
President
