AG requests to lift Bemba’s immunity

KINSHASA – The attorney-general of the Democratic Republic of Congo said yesterday he wants opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba’s immunity from prosecution to be removed so he can be charged with high treason.

After two days of clashes between the army and Bemba’s 600-strong militia in the central African country’s riverside capital left up to 600 dead, the government announced the former rebel leader would be charged with high treason. “I have submitted a request to remove his immunity with the president of the Senate,” Attorney-General Tshimanga Mukeba said.”We will pursue charges of high treason, but we need to have his immunity removed by the Senate first.”Bemba holds a seat in the upper house of parliament and is thus free from prosecution, but he keeps a private militia illegally.After being holed up at the South African embassy in the capital Kinshasa since last month’s violence, Bemba left to Portugal for a medical check-up early on Wednesday.Portugal’s ambassador to Congo, Alfredo Duarte Costa, has said his country will not grant Bemba asylum and the opposition leader’s party indicated on Wednesday he would return after his check-up.Bemba lost to President Joseph Kabila in last year’s landmark elections, which saw the country’s first democratic vote in four decades after years of authoritarian rule and a brutal 1998-2003 war, which left up to four million people dead.The European Union condemned the government’s excessive use of force in last month’s clashes, the first since last year’s elections.Sapa-dpa”I have submitted a request to remove his immunity with the president of the Senate,” Attorney-General Tshimanga Mukeba said.”We will pursue charges of high treason, but we need to have his immunity removed by the Senate first.”Bemba holds a seat in the upper house of parliament and is thus free from prosecution, but he keeps a private militia illegally.After being holed up at the South African embassy in the capital Kinshasa since last month’s violence, Bemba left to Portugal for a medical check-up early on Wednesday.Portugal’s ambassador to Congo, Alfredo Duarte Costa, has said his country will not grant Bemba asylum and the opposition leader’s party indicated on Wednesday he would return after his check-up.Bemba lost to President Joseph Kabila in last year’s landmark elections, which saw the country’s first democratic vote in four decades after years of authoritarian rule and a brutal 1998-2003 war, which left up to four million people dead.The European Union condemned the government’s excessive use of force in last month’s clashes, the first since last year’s elections.Sapa-dpa