A former Belgian diplomat, Etienne Davignon, has appealed a court ruling ordering him to stand trial over alleged involvement in the 1961 killing of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba.
Davignon, now 93, is the only surviving individual among several Belgians accused by Lumumba’s family of complicity in his death. His lawyer confirmed the appeal following a recent decision that he should face trial for “participation in war crimes.”
The charges relate to Lumumba’s unlawful detention, transfer, and alleged mistreatment while he was held as a prisoner. Although Davignon is not accused of directly carrying out the killing, he is linked to actions surrounding the events leading to Lumumba’s execution.
Lumumba became the first prime minister of Democratic Republic of the Congo after independence from Belgium in 1960. However, political tensions and foreign influence led to his removal from power shortly after.
He was executed in January 1961 in the Katanga region, in a killing widely believed to have involved Belgian support. His death remains one of the most controversial episodes in Africa’s post-colonial history.
If the trial proceeds, Davignon would become the first Belgian official to face justice over the case more than six decades later. A court decision on the appeal is expected ahead of a possible trial in 2027.
