20120718
AFP
Civil plaintiffs in the trial of eight police for the killing of Congolese rights activist Floribert Chebeya claimed Tuesday that a journalist had evidence incriminating the police chief.

Lawyers for the family of Chebeya and his driver Fidele Bazana, who was also killed, asked for Belgian journalist Thierry Michel to supply an audio recording of an interview with police Major Paul Milambwe, who was sentenced to death in 2011 in absentia.

The major's statements "bring new elements that demand further information," according to the request read out in court on the second day of an appeal trial at a military court.

On the recording, heard in Brussels on July 10, Milambwe says Bazana was buried in the garden of a farm in Kinshasa owned by police chief General John Numbi.

Milambwe also said that Bazana was killed before Chebeya, who he said was suffocated with plastic bags and adhesive tape on the orders of General Numbi at police headquarters in Kinshasa.

The lawyers for the civil plaintiffs also asked the court to secure the site where Bazana's body is allegedly buried.

Chebeya, the leader of the "Voix des Sans Voix" (Voice of the Voiceless) rights movement, was found dead in his car on June 1, 2010, aged 47, on the outskirts of Kinshasa. His wrists bore traces of handcuffs.

The day before he and Bazana had a meeting at police headquarters.

The military court last year sentenced the main suspect, Colonel Daniel Mukalay, to death as well as Milambwe and two other police officers who were tried in absentia.

Mukalay was second in command of the police's special forces.

Another police officer was sentenced to life imprisonment and three were acquitted.

The civilian plaintiffs say Numbi is the number one suspect in the murders.

Numbi, who has been suspended from duty, testified that he never met with Chebeya.

On Tuesday at the Makala prison court, Colonel Likula Bakumi, representing the public ministry, asked the judges to reject out of hand any appearance by Numbi.

"You have provided no proof of the involvement of John Numbi," Bakumi said.

The next hearing is set for next Tuesday.

DR Congo authorities stopped Michel at the Kinshasa airport on July 9 when he was leaving for a screening of his film on the Chebeya affair -- subtitled "A State Crime?"